Fairy castle cactus

7 years ago

Hi everyone,

i have had my cactus for over 10 years, she is beautifu! Everyone is amazed at her when they see pictures. My question is she good? People tell me to put her outside in the sun. But when I do she starts to die. she has always been inside in my kitchen window. But they say she is this tall because she is reaching for the light. I don’t think so. She is 35 inches tall and over 10 years old. I got her when she was a baby and have always put her in the kitchen window. So I am asking what I should do to help her. If anything or leave her be. I will not take her outside because she doesn’t like it.

Featured Answer

Yuri Claro

7 years ago

I think your cactus is pretty. Huge. I have had etiolated cactus before and they were very ugly. But yours is huge and beautiful. So, if it likes the window, isnt showing signs of sickness or overwatering, and its thriving for 10 years now, leave she on the window of the kitchen. Even if its a little more long than normal, its still pretty and hopefully, healthy plant. If you would like to see how it goes on very direct sun, you could try propagating it with a cutting and acclimatizing it slowly to the everyday outside sun, just to see how it goes for you. Here in south america we have huuuuge fairy castle cacti planted outdoors. They grow a lot more than 6 feet tall. But, for yout kitchen window, yours is alreay very huge.

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Comments (6)

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Vast majority of succulents are sun-loving plants. Your cactus - Acanthocereus tetragonus (previously Cereus tetragonus) doesn't look bad - must be getting reasonable amount of sunlight, but may be little more compact if in more sun. If light is too low, succulents start stretching = etiolate, because they are trying to reach more sunlight. So big - tall plant doesn't always mean it is very healthy.

Your plant, growing in ground under right conditions, could grow approx. 6' tall. In pots, they grow smaller/shorter.

If succulents are placed outdoors, in better sunlight, suddenly - they could burn. It is important to acclimatize them to differen light levels. The watering my have to be adjusted too - depending on type of substrate and pot they are grown in; and amount and intensity of sunlight could make difference too.
Stefan
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I think "fairy castles" and acanthocereus are NOT the same plant. Case in point, spines, stems and growth habit https://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2007/10/23/Moofiepoo/22277f.jpg .

As you can see, the name barbed wire cactus is befitting, since the cactus has a angled stem covered in spines, ina bushy habitat. Not erect like fairy castles...

Fairy castles has spines and stems similar to other members of the cereus genus(forbesii in particular)...https://www.kakteen.ch/wp-content/uploads/Kaktus-Cereus-forbesii.jpg

It usually has 5 or 6 or more ribs. acanthocereus has less.

Im siding with those that say that its a wrong classification. No monstrose and mutated forms make plants have more ribs. We would still be seeing mostly 3 ribbed downward pointed plants if that were the case....
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rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Stefan

You are more knowledgeable than me abou them, and most likely correct about proper ID. I went by THIS DESCRIPTION. Did not check the OP plant, spines or number of ribs. Regardless, the care would be similar.
Alain (Pacifica, CA;10a)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Well, I am a little confused on that one as many names have been assigned to this cactus. Seems to be a cultivar of Cereus tetragonus with dwarf stems at the base. Also found as a "form" of Acanthocereus tetragonus as well as Cereus hildmannianus subsp uruguayanus!!!

Some discussion on this on https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/98378/#b and link therein.

So what will it be??? I have one and there were no tags!
Stefan
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Going with the last one. Cereus tetragonus is non existent, like cereus peruvianus, just a label with no actual species behind it.....

I already went why its not acanthocereus.

Rina, even they stated "some experts consider acanthrocereus bla bla bla, others cereus"....