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Stenocereus beneckei (a very white clone ex
Prof. Lodi collection)
This species has an eye catching white/silver powdery bloom on
the new growth.
But the bloom rubs or washes off easily so the lower parts of the stems
are usually a blue green or even bronze colour in strong light.
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Description: Shrubby, semi-prostrate columnar cactus with
tuberculate ribs. This plant has an attractive grey white bloom on the
new growth.
Stem: Bluish-green or bronze-green up to 2 m long, 4-7 cm in
diameter, with a silvery-white waxy end.
Ribs: 5 to 9 tuberculate.
Areoles: Reddish-brown
Spines: 1 to 5 gray spines with reddish end; 1 central, up to 1.6
in. long;
Flowers: Cream colored , 4 cm long or more
Blooming season: Winter, opening during the night and staying
open 24 hours.
Fruit: Grayish-brown tuberculate fruit, 5 cm long, 3 cm wide with
8-9 spines per areole, up to 2 cm long.
Seed: Large shiny black.
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Cultivation: Stenocereus
beneckei is easy to grow but not very cold hardy (Resistant as low as
-4°C for a short time).
Sun Exposure: Outside
full sun, inside needs bright light, and
some direct sun.. Need a fertile, well drained soil mix. In summer water
the plants well and allow them to dry before watering again. During winter month, put them in a cool luminous place
and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water and
fertiliser over the winter as they will etiolate, or become thin, due to
lower levels of light. They are susceptible to fungal diseases if overwatered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti,
especially in warm weather. If
kept damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.
It produces good amounts of growth each year if kept well fed and
watered throughout the warmest months, particularly if it has been
acclimatised to accept full sun.
Propagation:
Cutting or from seed. The seeds are quite easy to germinate and grow.
Their main requirements consist of high humidity levels, free-draining
soil mix, and enough water, light, and nutrition
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Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family) |
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Scientific name: Stenocereus
beneckei (Ehrenberg) A. Berger & F. Buxbaum.
Published in: Botanische Studien 12: 99, 1961
Origin: Origin: Central Mexico
Habitat: Grows on the sunniest parts of
rocky cliffs.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
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Synonyms:
- Piptanthocereus beneckei
- Cereus farinosus
- Rathbunia beneckei
- Lemaireocereus beneckei
- Hertrichocereus beneckei
- Cereus beneckei
- Cereus beneckei var. farinosus
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Be aware!!! Don’t touch and don’t sprinkle the beautiful
white bloom… ....it rubs off very easily.
Stenocereus marginatus and beneckei |
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Cultivation
and Mail Sale 
