Tephrocactus articulatus v. papyracanthus
Image from Wikimedia / Christer Johannson
El Tephrocactus articulatus It is a cactus that has a somewhat curious shape that attracts a lot of attention. It is not the typical columnar cactus that reaches several meters in height, but rather it is one that stays short, which is perfect if we want to grow it in a pot.
Although it is very easy to find it for sale in nurseries, very few people know what their adult dimensions are and even less the color of their flowers. If you want to stop being one of them, don't stop reading.
Tephrocactus articulatus is the scientific name of a cactus endemic to Argentina, specifically Córdoba, Mendoza, Salta, San Luis and Santiago del Estero that was described by Ludwig Karl Georg Pleiffer and Curt Backeberg in 1953.
It is characterized by having an upright growth, with cylindrical or club-shaped stems that measure about 5cm in diameter and 30 to 120cm long.. In them we will be able to see from 4 to 40 areoles per segment, from which thorns normally sprout in number from 1 to 8 flexible and flattened whose length is up to 15 cm. The flowers are white or pink in color and measure 4,5 in length by 8,3 cm in diameter. The fruit is spherical to conical and is 3cm long.
Image from Tephro.com
In cultivation it appears as a very easy to care for and maintain cactus, which it is satisfied with being placed in full sun, in a substrate that drains very well (like cheekbones or river sand) and that they water it very little, avoiding waterlogging at all times. However, so that it can grow even better, it is recommended to transplant it every two springs and fertilize it from spring to late autumn with a liquid cactus fertilizer following the instructions specified on the package.
For the rest, you have to know that resists up to -2ºC.