Bright light is required to encourage denser hair growth, but this mountain native does not care for extremely elevated temperatures. In this video, our very own Tom Jesch talks about how the woolly hairs act as a defense against ultraviolet exposure for a cactus accustomed to the thin, dry air of its high-elevation climate. If indoors, it will want to be near a sunny window. celsianus during overcast or humid weather, or on cold winter days. We recommend planting a specimen with porous cactus soil that allows for adequate or better drainage. We’re not especially keen on sticking old man of the Andes in the middle of lawns, of course. Planting one, though, does allow you to joke that it barks at the neighborhood kids to “get off my lawn.” And a specimen (or multiples) would ably serve as a textural counterpoint in a yard of colorful succulents such as agaves, sedums, and hens and chicks. The long, tubular red flowers are springtime, hummingbird magnets, but they might not make an appearance for several years. Don’t count on one hitting such a height in your garden or patio pot anytime soon. It is in those high-up places that old man of the Andes cacti stand like snowy sentinels, eventually reaching up to 10 feet tall. This old man dwells far above the sea, although you won’t encounter it unless you’re exploring the mountains of Argentina, Bolivia, or Peru. The prefix, Oreo, means “mountain,” from the Greek word oros. Today, though, we’re singling out one senior cactus in particular: Oreocereus celsianus, aka old man of the Andes. That hairiness, while not of identical density, can make it tough for nonexperts to distinguish individual species from one another. Ha, we kid, but the “old …” cacti all share an eye-catching attribute: a coat of protective white hairs. Enough so that they deserve their own membership wing in the AARP. The cactus family is chock-full of old men and old ladies. Old man of the Andes cactus is just one of several hairy species
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