Cephalocereus senilis
Common name: Old man cactus; Mexican Old Man; Bunny cactus
Synonyms: Cereus senilis, Pilocereus senilis, Cephalophorus senilis
Family: Cactaceae
Description: Old Man Cactus is a tall columnar species with clusters of stems, growing to 5-15 m tall; the individual stems are usually unbranched, being unable to withstand the weight of side branches easily. The most striking feature is the long, white hairs it possesses, which serve to protect it from the sun. The coat of hair makes many plants appear almost snow-white. The hairs conceal numerous sharp yellow spines. It is in reference to the shaggy white coat that the popular name ´Old Man Cactus´ developed. C. senilis is found in the Johannesburg Botanical Garden nursery with other species which belong to the Cactaceae family.
Flower: The flowers are red, yellow, or white, though it may not flower until 10-20 years old.
Habitat: C. senilis prefers a very well-drained soil mix and lots of bright sunlight, which encourages growth of the hair.
Origin: C. senilis is a species of cactus native to eastern Mexico.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalocereus_senilis
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Cephalocereus_senilis.html
Dennis, O., Cornejo and. Simpson, B. B. 1997. American Journal of Botany 84(11): 1482–1501.
Vuyolwethu Yani
Johannesburg Botanical Garden
August 2007
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Botanic Garden