Pachycereus Marginatus from Greek and Latin means "thick candle with borders". That's one fanciful way to describe it. It's called "Mexican fencepost" for good reason, resourceful Mexican ranchers and homeowners actually planted them in thick lines along their property lines very close together to grow up (up to one yard a year) and make a very strong and intimidating fence, sometimes stringing them together with wire. They get up to 20' tall and one report has them at an amazing 50', and all super straight up without any branching. Columns colored in a rich, satiny green are deeply lobed, most of the time 6 ridges but sometimes can be 5 or 7 lobes, just to be different. Along the very edges of the ridges are lines (the Marginatus margins), dotted evenly with pretty darn stickery, short, white spines with just a bit of rose shading underneath set in little tufts of cotton, all the way top to bottom. If it gets just too tall for your fence, you can just whack it off anywhere and after drying the tip a week or two, just pot it up for a new post. The cut part will go right ahead and sprout a new lobe to carry on. He wants a lot of sun, so a window is best and water him seldom, truly drought tolerant. We always report on the flowers for you, these ones burst out in crowds absolutely horizontally in fat, bright red/rose shaggy buds a few inches long then open to pretty, glossy flowers in pale silvery pinks and reds. Fruit follows the flowers (mostly in spring) in yellows and reds, very delicious, sweet and fragrant and light. If you haven't had a cactus fruit you must try it.
- Drought Tolerant
- Low Maintenance
Quick Care Guide:
- Water - Low (1): Needs very little water to survive. Wait until the plant is completely dry then fully soak. Drought tolerant by nature.
- High - (5): Plant needs a lot of light; direct is even better. These plants do best when placed on a window sill or next to a bright window. Avoid concentrated, hot light from window which may cause burning (magnifying glass effect).
- Difficulty - Low (1): These plants need barely any attention to thrive. Set it and forget it.