What does "crested" mean when it's used with cacti?
Crested cacti are unique formations that happen every now and then in nature. Above is a picture taken of a Crested Saguaro Cactus at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Of course you can find other kinds of crested cacti which are really striking to have in your collection.
When you see a cactus that is a little unusual looking, in that it is not straight or round, or that it has swirls and twists....you are probably looking at a crested plant. A crested cactus will make another crested cactus....just carefully break a segmented section off and follow cacti transplanting rules. However....
This cannot be done with a Saguaro Cactus as it grows differently from other cacti. You can't propagate it the same way. That is why a crested Saguaro is really a thing of beauty and a unique feature in the desert landscape. And I should also mention that it is protected.....so you can't touch these guys:)
Yes....Saguaros get that tall!!:) Happy Gardening!!
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I've never seen a crested cactus before, glad you posted this!
ReplyDeleteDear Rohrerbot, What a fascinating and informative posting which I have greatly enjoyed reading. Indeed, your illustrations of the cacti give them a very sculptural and tactile appearance which makes them immediately intriguing.
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Oh, I saw something like this at the Botanical Garden. Now I know what it's called!
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