Full Description: Cactus species Eulychnia saint-pieana Columnar cactus in candelabra form or arborescent columnar succulent, multi-branched from below, often with a well developed woody trunk. It has many ribs which are set with large, white, woolly tufts accented by long central spines.
Stems are nearly erect, 9' to 20' ft. tall, up to 3" to 4"+ in diameter, greyish-green to dark green colored. 10-17 straight ribs, somewhat tuberculate, sometime furrowed between areoles.
Areoles are close set, white heavy wool and hairs.
Spines average 10-30, often purly differentiated as central and radials, brown turning dull grey to chalky-white as they ages.
Central spines: 1-2 outer, erect 4" to 7" long,
radial spines are 5 and 3/4" long, diverging. Rare in collections and hard to find.
Common Names : Copao
Synonyms : Cereus longispinus, Eulychnia longispina, Eulychnia procumbens, Eulychnia aricensis, Eulychnia barquitensis.
Native To : Chile- Along the northern coastal Atacama desert.
Flowers : Are bell shaped, white to pale rose colored up to 3/4" long, mostly white with a darker mid stripe. They develop from very woolly buds filled with dense brown to white wool and bristles near the top of the plant. Areoles of floral tube and pericarpel without stiff bristles. Tube is densely scaly, and shorter than the pericarpel.
Blooming season is in summer, the flowers stay open during the day and night.
The fruit is globose to pear shaped, up to 2" to 3" in diameter, fleshy, acid, especially hairy when young. The fruit is edible, but not very tasty.
More Info. : Eulychnia saint-pieana (F. Ritter
Taxon, 1964). Accepted Scientific name: Eulychnia breviflora Philippi-1860.
The name Eulychnia breviflora comes from the greek “eu” meaning “good” and “lychnos”, “lamps”, thus a good lampstand. The "brevi" refers to the appearance of the flowers which just barely peep out from a nest of fur.
Eulychnia saint-pieana was long ago combined into Eulychnia breviflora, being a form with especially hairy areoles.
Although there is little rainfall in its native habitat Eulychnia Saint Pieana is often covered in lichen in the Pan De Azucar National Park Atacama Region of Chile, due to mist or fog in this coastal region.
Offered as : Cuttings 10-12" long to all mail order locations. Rooted plants are available for mail order within the U.S. only or can be picked up at our walk in nursery location-click the link below for more info.
( Below are more pictures detailing the growth characteristics of Eulychnia Saint Pieana including close ups/top views ).
Established 5 gallon rooted plant(s) may also be available for shipping within the U.S. only or for pick-up as most are very large, so sorry but no international shipping of large plants. Simply click the link below for info. about our walk-in nursery website, or to check availability and place an order with one of our friendly sales reps. today !
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