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Cactus & Succulent Garden
Mexican Giant Cardon
- Common Name: Mexican Giant Cardon
- Scientific Name: Pachycereus pringlei
- Family Name: Cactaceae
- Origin: Northwest Mexico
- Height: 20 to 30 ft
- Width: Variable
- Growth: Very slow
- Zone: USDA Zones 9 through 11
- Light needs: Full sun
- Salt tolerance: Low
- Soil/pH/Texture: Requires well-drained, sandy or rocky soil. Soil pH should be slightly acidic to neutral (6.5 to 7.0).
- Moisture: Very low water needs, needs little to no supplemental water once mature. Sensitive to overwatering.
- Drought tolerance: High
- Pests/Diseases: Susceptible to root rot and fungal diseases when overwatered.
- Growing conditions: Grow this cactus in a warm or hot, sunny, well-drained area which is not susceptible to flooding. Once mature, it needs no supplemental watering. However, this cactus may take several decades to mature, and immature plants typically require regular watering during the summer if the soil dries out. It may live for hundreds of years, so this plant is a long-term commitment.
- Characteristics: This is the tallest living cactus species in the world, with some individuals reaching over 60 ft in height with a 3 ft wide trunk. Trunks are thick and succulent with vertical ribbing and are covered with evenly-spaced clusters of spines. Each trunk may grow several branches as it matures. The white, circular flowers emerge from yellow bugs and bloom for only one night a year before turning into edible red fruits.
- Propagation: By seeds or by cuttings.
- Wildlife: In its native environment, the flowers are pollinated by bats.
- Facts: The fruits can be eaten fresh or made into jellies. It is the tallest cactus in the world, with the largest specimens weighing several tons.
- Designer considerations: Great for xeric and succulent gardens as a foundation or specimen planting.
Mexican Giant Cardon