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Height: 8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m) 12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m) 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m) 20-30 ft. (6-9 m) 30-40 ft. (9-12 m) over 40 ft. (12 m)
Spacing: 12-15 in. (30-38 cm) 15-18 in. (38-45 cm) 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Danger: Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling
Bloom Color: Pink Bright Yellow White/Near White
Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer Mid Summer
Foliage: Succulent
Other details: Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From woody stem cuttings Allow cut surface to callous over before planting From seed; sow indoors before last frost
Seed Collecting: Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds Unblemished fruit must be significantly overripe before harvesting seed; clean and dry seeds Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
On Oct 7, 2005, BayAreaTropics from Hayward, CA wrote:
In the top 5-maybe 3, in the must have cacti,right there with golden barrel and Cereus peruvianus . The girth of the trunk and denseness of the "fur" distinguish it from the also ran's. It might be better to have a grouping of these than the usual one- of's cactus gardens . And when they reach shoulder height they are stunners. Typical cacti care.
On Jan 31, 2005, hanna1 from Castro Valley, CA (Zone 9a) wrote:
Also known as 'Old man of Mexico', 'Bunny Cactus', synonym: Cactussenilis & Pilocerous Sennilis. Is from Eastern Hidalgo in Mexico. Soil should be dry. Is a woody plant. Senilis is Latin for Old or aged man. Can be carefully groomed with a comb. Min. temps should be above 50F, and prefers afternoon shade in hotter areas.
Enjoyed your photo and description. My in-laws have a 42 year old (I submitted photo, too) cactus of this variety that measures over 17 feet tall. When moved to its current location 32 years ago, it was only about 2 feet tall and only a single member. My wife's father wants to have it removed. Anyone interested? San Diego, CA area.
On Jul 8, 2004, TucsonJen from Tucson, AZ (Zone 9a) wrote:
We call this one the Old Man of Mexico to help distinguish it from a number of other "Old Man" cacti such as Old Man of the Andes (Oreocereus celsianus). I’ve never seen one with multiple columns as shown. Very cool.
Mine needs afternoon shade in the summer here in Tucson (so do I!). It is verrrry slow to grow and I am careful not to overwater because it's susceptible to root rot. I think I read that it blooms (white/pink) and bears fruit when it gets to 20 feet. I’ll have to take their word for it – mine is only about a foot tall, lol!
The white color is a nice contrast in my cactus garden and It gets a lot of attention from visitors.
On Mar 15, 2004, palmbob from Tarzana, CA (Zone 9b) wrote:
Can grow very tall, covered with thick white 'hairs' that cover up the spines below (careful). EAsy grower in California, though can get touched by severe frost.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Chandler, Arizona Green Valley, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Picture Rocks, Arizona Castro Valley, California Hayward, California Menifee, California Oak View, California San Diego, California (3 reports) San Marino, California Santee, California Thousand Oaks, California Vacaville, California Tampa, Florida
8 members have or want this plant for trade.
