Unrooted Peruvian Torch cactus cutting, Trichocereus peruvianus, 10 to 12 inch

Peruvian Torch Cactus Cutting

10-12"
$45.00
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Unrooted Peruvian Torch cactus cutting, Trichocereus peruvianus, 10 to 12 inch
  • Unrooted Peruvian Torch cactus cutting, Trichocereus peruvianus, 10 to 12 inch
  • Tip of Peruvian Torch cactus cutting, Trichocereus peruvianus, showing amber spines
  • Callused cut end of Peruvian Torch cactus cutting, Trichocereus peruvianus, 10 to 12 inch
Peruvian Torch Cactus Cutting

Peruvian Torch Cactus Cutting

Trichocereus peruvianus (syn. Trichocereus macrogonus, Echinopsis macrogona)

$45.00

Unrooted cutting, you root it (cut end already healed)

What you receive: One unrooted Peruvian Torch tip cutting, 10 to 12 inches long, with the cut end callused and ready to root. Like all our plants it ships bare-root, with no pot or soil. Minor scarring is normal.

Size10-12"
Pack size

Mix any cacti you like, rooted or cutting. Discount applied automatically at checkout, no code needed.

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Description

Trichocereus peruvianus (trik-oh-SEER-ee-us peh-roo-vee-AH-nus) (syn. Trichocereus macrogonus; Echinopsis macrogona), the Peruvian torch, is a thick, chalky-blue column (glaucous), stouter than most, with stiff amber spines. Vigorous once established, it can reach 10 to 20 feet, leaning and branching with age.

Native to the western Andean slopes of Peru, it is now treated as part of Trichocereus macrogonus and is a blue column growers seek out for its color.

Every cutting comes off mature mother plants we grow in full California sun, which is what thickens the skin and deepens the chalky blue this species is wanted for. Each cutting is a tip rather than a mid-section, cut thick and true to type, then cured until the end is callused and ready to root.

This listing is an unrooted tip cutting, 10 to 12 inches long, a fresh, callused segment you root yourself. Like all our plants it ships bare-root, with no pot or soil.

Sold strictly as an ornamental specimen.

Tending to your Peruvian Torch Cactus Cutting

Cactus potting mix and terracotta pots on a potting bench
Hardiness Zone: zone 9+ (frost-tender)

Cold tolerance depends on how dry and how brief the cold is. Hardy in the ground in USDA zone 9 and warmer. Damage can begin in the mid-20s F, and a hard freeze into the low 20s or below will injure an exposed plant, though a brief, dry dip is often survived. In colder zones, grow it in a pot and shelter it over winter, kept dry so it takes the cold better. Start protecting at 28 to 30 F, earlier for pots and in wet winters, and protect a cutting or newly rooted plant from any frost in its first winter.
Light: full sun, shade in heat

Cacti need strong light. This one takes direct sun for most of the day once it is used to it, and in hot desert climates it does better with some afternoon shade. How you give it light changes how it grows. It comes from the sun-drenched slopes and valleys of the Andes, where the light is strong but the air stays cool, so it loves bright light yet can scorch under relentless, low-elevation afternoon sun. In full sun an established plant stays stocky and firm, with tighter ribs and stronger spines. In part shade it grows faster and greener but softer, and too little light stretches it into thin, pale, weak growth (etiolation). Green tissue that has not seen strong sun will scar permanently if you move it into full sun too quickly, so acclimate gradually: several weeks in light shade, then add direct sun a little at a time over several more weeks, morning sun first. Indoors, give it your brightest south-facing window or a grow light.
Water: soak, dry

The rule is soak, then dry. Water deeply so the whole root zone is wet, then wait until the top inch or two of mix is dry to the touch before watering again. In warm growing weather, around 70 to 90 F, that often means about every 10 to 14 days in a pot, and less in the ground, so go by how fast your soil dries rather than the calendar. As temperatures fall below about 60 F in autumn the plant slows toward dormancy, so taper off, and through a cool winter keep it nearly dry. Water sitting in cold soil is the fastest route to root rot. In humid climates, water less, lean on a fast-draining mix and good airflow, and water in the morning so the plant dries quickly.
Soil: gritty (fast-draining)

Fast-draining and gritty. A cactus mix cut with extra pumice or perlite keeps roots happy and rot away.
Fertilizing: spring to summer

Feed only while it is actively growing, roughly spring through early fall. A balanced or low-nitrogen cactus fertilizer diluted to about half strength, applied every 3 to 4 weeks during that window, is plenty. Always fertilize onto already-moist soil rather than dry roots, and water normally afterward. As growth slows in fall, stop feeding entirely and give it nothing through winter, when the plant is resting and cannot use it. Too much nitrogen pushes soft, fast growth that flops and marks easily, so err on the lean side. These cacti are adapted to poor ground and do far better underfed than overfed.
Re-potting: spring, snug

Most Trichocereus need repotting only every 2 to 3 years, or when roots fill the pot and begin escaping the drainage holes. Spring, as the plant wakes into active growth, is the ideal time. Move up just one pot size, since an oversized pot holds water the roots cannot reach and invites rot, so a snug fit is safer than a roomy one. Repot into dry, fast-draining mix and wait about a week before the first watering. That pause lets any roots nicked during the move dry and callus rather than sit wet and rot. Terracotta dries faster than plastic or glazed pots, which helps in cool or humid conditions. In a hot, dry climate plastic is fine. To handle a spiny column without injury, wrap it in a few folds of newspaper or a strip of carpet and wear cactus gloves.
Propagation: from cuttings

Trichocereus grow easily from cuttings, which is the usual way to propagate them. To take a cutting, use a sharp, clean blade. Wipe off any sap and dirt, then wipe the blade with 70% isopropyl alcohol so it stays wet for at least 30 seconds. Let it air dry. Slice cleanly through the column, then stand the cut piece upright somewhere dry, shaded, and airy for 1 to 3 weeks until the wound forms a firm, dry callus. Planting before it calluses invites rot, so do not rush this step. Once callused, set the cut end an inch or two into dry, gritty mix, just deep enough to stand on its own, and keep it in bright, indirect light. Give it no water until it has rooted. The cutting is living on water it stored before it was cut, which is ample for growing roots, and water it cannot take up only sits against the cut end and invites rot. How much margin you have depends on your conditions: in a hot, dry climate with a very coarse mix a pot dries again within hours, while in cool or humid air, or a mix holding much organic matter, the same water lingers against the cut for days. When in doubt, stay dry. In warm weather a cutting usually roots in about 4 to 8 weeks. Cooler weather, or conditions that are less than ideal, can take considerably longer, and a cutting may simply wait for spring, which is normal. A gentle tug tells you when roots have taken hold, since resistance means it is anchored. Water lightly that first time, then let the mix dry completely between waterings.

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