This Old Man Is Mighty Prickly, but Nice to Have Around the House

Summary

---

They are furry, fuzzy and friendly looking. However, they are not to be touched. Even so, sooner or later, if you have a hankering for drought-tolerant plants, you are bound to see them at the nursery and take one home. Just looking at any of them calms the nerves, not only because of their soft and whimsical appearance, but because they require the barest minimum of attention to grow.

I am talking about three cactus species that you most likely have seen, here or there, but which you may not know much about unless you have a special fondness for growing them and their ilk. All of these cacti come from Mexico, will easily grow in the Valley, and placidly survive both droughty summers and freezing winters.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

This Old Man Is Mighty Prickly, but Nice to Have Around the House

The first of this memorable triumvirate is old man cactus (Cephalocereus senilis). It is endowed with bearded plumage as a defense against desert heat. In 20 years, it may grow no more than 2 feet tall in its Mexican habitat, although it can grow much more ...

See the full content of this document

---