No clue, sorry. But, maker, that's a glorious plant.

Can you get a close up? How long are the thorns? That sure is a nice looking specimen! What have you ruled out? Do you think it's a species of Cereus?

Out of curiosity, I looked through some of my books and didn't find this particular plant, Sorry! It is a beauty.

Gorgeous! I don't usually look twice at cacti. Some things I saw that looked similar had names like cereus, cereus repandus, or Peruvian apple cactus ... please post if you figure it out! What a stunner.

Better keep that bad boy fenced in. Love it.

I'd send the pic over to the Huntington Bot. Garden and see if they can ID it. Two possibilities you may want to consider: Cereus jamacaru, or maybe more likely Armatocereus matucarnensis.

I’m more and more convinced it’s in the Armatocereus genus because of the size and the distinguishing segments.

That last has been mentioned a couple of times..but the internet photos show longer thinner branches between the many segments. Like,it's the right family but not the exact plant..so getting closer.

Yes it's Cereus. Perhaps Cereus peruvianus.

I've seen many Cereus peruvianus Sara and it did cross my mind...but I've never seen one this segmented or as close to silver as this one is. Now,I've seen C. peruvianus with very knobby edges, I had one years ago in fact. But not close to as segmented as this one..or these two since it looks to be side by side plants leaning from each other.

Yeah much more sure of genus than species. can get huge though.

Sternocereus fricii

That really looks like it GG. The color might just be a variation..but the overall look is just like that plant. Plus,this is near Regan's nursery and for years they've sold some rare things mixed in with the popular. I can see somebody spotting these in a 6" pot in 1982!

Stenocereus is not segmented enough. Still sticking with the Armatocereus genus. Again, please just ask someone at Huntington.

It's not my plant..so I can't post flowers. Plus I was just driving around after a walk near Lake Elizabeth and don't remember the street it is on. It's just guessing. I've seen plenty of Cereus varieties in the bay area and none were like this one

We had a Huntington long time Volunteer on the houzz..Norma? Are you out there?

okay, I emailed someone at the Hunt. Will report back with result.

This has been puzzling me as well and I would concur with Kara that it might be an environmental phenotype. I have a Cereus peruvianus showing unusual growth pattern as well similar to the case at hand (although not C peruvianus). The pic below shows a cut (accidental) of a parent plant growing in ground. The parent plant does not show any nub but somehow the cut is growing funny. It took a very long time to root, then each subsequent growing season results in clear segments, some very short, some longer, with nubs. Looks like this year's growth will also result in a new segment as well with nub. Not sure why and whether it will continue that way but could be something that happened to the one in the pic above. Maybe it also has to do with how cold it gets just before the growing season. Not cold enough to damage the tip to the point of leaving a scar but enough to affect the growing tissue. In any case, very intriguing, can't wait to read more suggestions on this one :)

This plants segments are very shortly spaced. Some look to be a few inches. I think my camera got the color pretty well. It was more silvery-white than any Cereus I've run across. It's different.

hello - here is the response (!!!isn't this exciting???) :

"Hello All,

A couple of you have suggested asking the Huntington. Herewith, I respond, though my two cents may not satisfy all.

I think Kara is correct that environmental factors can explain the compact, jointed growth of this specimen. Published images necessarily illustrate a select subset of a taxon so provide only a partial picture.

Furthermore, there is a wide range of genetic variation resulting from seed propagation. These variations may be too subtle to characterize to justify distinction at any taxonomic level, even that of cultivar.

Add to that decades or centuries of cultivation, reseeding and selection and you have a mind-boggling array of specimens in the cultivated population.

Cereus hildmannianus (C. peruvianus) is the most commonly and longest cultivated of the possibilities and may in fact be a bit of catch all taxon to contain most of these. However, until someone constructs a detailed geneology of the species, even the source of wild origin remains in question."

I am doublechecking before I put the name on, but this is from the Huntington desert garden department.

Alain, My cactus has segments but some times not. The mother plant has many segments and some great sections that twist.

This is the plant I got my seeds from and grew hundreds.

I guess the Huntington is saying "Can't tell by looks". The segments and silver-gray color should remind them of something as in,"hybrid with".

I've seen Cereus with very knobby edges..like the proverbial plinking shear look. Very nice. But have not seen a Cereus with so many short defined segments.

Stan, I wonder if the Bay area weather could be influencing the development all those segments. If each segment represents a growth spirt than a cold snap could stop growth and restart and stop and restart... on and on in somewhat rapid succession. ?????

stush2049 - great photo! May I ask, how long did your plant take to grow so large and lovely??

That big plant is the 'Mother' plant that I took seeds from. My seedlings are small due to being pot bound and not giving it every thing it wants. Maybe just over a foot tall in 10 years from seed to what you see. If I planted into a bigger pot and watered more I know it would be well over twice as tall. Keeping in my house, I don't want it to get any bigger than it is. I may have to give them out in a few years or sooner.

Kate,I don't think so. If I saw it in other Cereus plants than I would chalk it up to weather. Maybe Fremont's warmer summers make it a lighter color..could be. But the segments would be wider in a warmer climate for faster growth? Some might say warmer weather could make it segment more. So,more guessing. The color is different. I would have thought a Huntington guy would notice right away what genera of tree Cactus have that.Really overall,its unusual in the bay area,and I haven't seen any other photos of one like it.

Thanks, Stush2049, I know what you mean about size - I have a Euphorb milk tree that I am keeping in a tiny pot. It is cute but they are a lot to handle when large.

Need,

Just last week I gifted those cactus to my son. I told him that get big but he likes them. I have an Euphorbia Ammak. It is growing over a foot a year. Last year it was two feet, now over 3 feet.

The E. lactea is more behaved growing about 4 to 6 inches a year.