Trichocereus hybrid cactus care

Since moving to the southwestern United States more than 20 years ago, I have grown lots of Trichocereus hybrids (also sold as torch cacti) in my landscapes. Depending on the hybrid variety, Trichocereus cacti can produce magnificent flowers that range in colors from white, to vibrant shades of yellow, florescent pink, shocking red hues, orange, and even boisterous shades of purple. Here’s our Torch cacti description and Trichocereus hybrid cactus care guidelines.

All of the Trichicereus hybrids can get big, huge flowers. In fact, I’ve had some hybrids with flowers that spanned 8-inches or more in diameter. A passerby who noticed those flowers described the flowers as ‘dinner-plate sized’!

The stunning flowers of some hybrids can open at dusk, then bloom overnight, and start to wilt the next morning. Fortunately, other varieties have flowers that can last for a week or more.

Based on what I’ve seen and read about this unique family of cactus hybrids, there must be hundreds of hybrid varieties within the torch cactus family. And, each hybrid has different-colored flowers, different plant sizes, and different columnar shapes and lengths.

Most of the Trichocereus hybrids are columnar plants. These columns can sometimes reach 2-to-4 feet (or sometimes more), while other varieties stay much smaller.

In my experience, the taller columns can sometimes tip over or sprawl along the ground. I’m not sure if the columns are not able to sustain the weight of the taller columns, or if that’s their natural growth habit. I suspect it might be a little of both.

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Like many cacti varieties, the new growth or pups will appear alongside and around the base of the parent column. As each column grows, they also will have pups that continue to grow outward from the original column.

Depending on the variety, the Trichocereus hybrids can have either long or short spines. For extra variety, the spines can also have various colors that usually complement the colors of the cactus flesh and the stunning flowers.

Trichocereus is the genus name, but to me, I think of this whole group as one big family. However, since I am not a botanist or an expert in taxonomy, that’s about as deep as I will go.

Above all, I am only a torch cacti enthusiast—I enjoy their unique shapes, their surprisingly beautiful spines, their fruit, along with their stunning flowers.

Some of the more common torch cacti or Trichocereus hybrids that you might see include:

Apricot Glow: various shades of orange flowers

First Light: shades of vibrant pink along with contrasting yellow flowers

June Noon: beautiful white flowers with stripes of yellow

Lavender: blue flowers with overtones of purple

Oh, Wow!: florescent red flowers with tinges of pink hues

As far as I’m concerned, all torch cacti flowers fit the ‘Oh, Wow!’ category. Not surprisingly, if you plant them in front of your house, their blooms will literally stop traffic and trigger impromptu picture-taking.

Not only are all the torch cactus hybrids beautiful, but they are also easy to grow and care for.

Here are some care guidelines for your Trichocereus hybrid cactus, which you might also see being sold as Torch cactus.

Plant your torch cactus where it gets at least 5 hours of sun each day. Otherwise, if it gets less than 4 hours per day, your cactus might not flower.

When I lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, all my torch cacti received a full-day’s worth of sunlight. Even during the summer, the plants experienced no stress from the summer heat.

And, now that I’m living in the lower-altitude, but much hotter Phoenix, Arizona region, I also have a few torch cacti that receive full sun for the full day.

However, some hybrids might be hurt by full sun (especially if you live near Phoenix), and might do best in dappled afternoon shade. For instance, many torch cacti would do well planted close to a taller, drought tolerant plant like a woolly butterfly bush.

That way, the taller companion plant can shield it from the harsh afternoon sun, as well as providing contrast in the landscape.

In my experience, I have had some of these hybrids which showed signs of stress during our intensely hot summer days in southern Arizona. Therefore, if possible, planting these hybrids in the afternoon shade is your safest bet for survival.

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In general, torch cacti, or the Trichocereus hybrids, can survive below-freezing temperatures. In southern New Mexico, my torches survived single digit temperatures without any damage. However, some hybrids might be more sensitive to cold temperatures.

In general, your torch cactus should survive year-round without extra protection if you are in the USDA hardiness zones of 8a or above. I suspect that your torch might even be safe in the cooler USDA hardiness zones of 7a or 7b, with a little extra protection on colder winter nights.

Just like most drought-tolerant plants, Trichocereus hybrids do best in well-draining soil. Unfortunately, in my landscape, I’ve got lots of caliche or clay-based soil to contend with.

You can amend your caliche soil with organic garden soil, along with some sand. Or, you can make a slight mound of soil to elevate your torch cactus. That way, their roots will not sit in standing water.

Torch cacti do perform best in well-draining soil, but, they also respond well to a little extra water. During the summer, I water my torches deeply, once-a-week. The extra water spurs their growth rate, and generates more flowers.

In the spring and fall, I water these cactus hybrids every other week. Then, during the winter, I’ve found that once-a-month irrigation work well.

Under normal growing conditions, torch cacti produce an abundance of flowers. A mature cactus can produce 40 to 50 flowers a few times each year. Can you imagine all that color?

If you add a regular 5-10-10 fertilizer mixture, your Trichocereus hybrid might develop even more prolific blooms.

Only apply the fertilizer after your torch cactus has established itself in its new home. After two months, it will have developed new roots. Then, fertilizer lightly every two months during the growing season.

Some of my torch cacti hybrids have grown faster than others. A mature specimen will often look like a clumping hedgehog cactus. New growth, or stems, can develop around the base of the plant and extend out almost two feet.

In a way, the new growth of the torch cacti is similar to the Mediterranean fan palm tree. However, unlike the palm tree, new torch cacti growth can also appear on a mature stem. In that case, the new growth resembles the arms of a saguaro cactus, but on a much smaller scale.

In southern New Mexico, I had one fast-growing torch cactus. Its stems quickly grew to over 2 feet in length. As they grew, the stem’s new weight caused it to lean towards the ground.

At that point, I cut the stem off and replanted it in a new location. They quickly rooted, and new stems grew around its base. With their fast growth rate, it didn’t take long to have multiple stumps of flowering torch cacti.

Most of the Trichocereus hybrids grow quickly, and their clumps will expand with new growth. That’s why a bigger container will work best for your torch cactus. Your container should have proper drainage, but this family of cactus can also tolerate a little more water than most other cacti (in my experience).

I’ve never tried a torch cactus in a plant container before, but, if you give them enough direct sunlight each day, they might actually produce blooms. Even if your container-bound torch does not bloom, the plant looks interesting and will be an engaging conversation piece in your home.

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TAKEAWAYS:

The best thing about my torch cacti are their spectacular flowers. Depending on the hybrid variety, their flowers can be white, yellow, orange, red, or purple. The blooms can be show-stoppingly vibrant, with color combinations that complement each other and even complement the unique green or blue flesh of the cactus columns.

Torch cacti are easy to grow. They grow fast, and will respond well to extra water and a little fertilizer. A mature torch cactus can produce an abundance of flowers throughout the growing season.

While the smaller size of the Trichocereus hybrids means it won’t make a good year-round focal point in your landscape, the flowers can easily become a focal point of interest. In fact, the flowers will stop traffic.

Thanks for reading our Trichocereus hybrid cactus care guidelines! If you are also growing torch cacti in your arid landscape, please share your experiences below!

Content and photos by Doug Martin and The Zen Xeriscape

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