Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Old Man of Mexico
Old Man of Mexico is the column cactus wrapped in long, shaggy white hair, from the dry hills of central Mexico. The hair shades the plant from the sun and gives it the look of an old man's beard. It usually grows as a single upright column and grows very slowly, so it stays a manageable size in a bed or large pot for many years. It needs little water once rooted.
Best for: accent spots in cactus beds and rock gardens, raised planters and large pots, and a spot against a white or colored wall where the hair stands out.
Set against a white or colored wall, the long white hair stands out from across the yard. It also works as an accent in a rock garden or cactus bed.
It grows very slowly, so it stays a manageable size in a raised planter or large pot for many years. Pots need water more often than plants in the ground.
In the Valley it does best in full morning sun with light shade in the afternoon. Bright sun keeps the hair full and white.
It rots easily if the soil stays wet, especially when young, so keep it dry in winter. Young plants are tender to frost and need cover on nights in the mid 20s.
- Closer planting4 ft apart
- Wider planting5 ft apart
Wait about a week after planting before the first water. Then water every other week while nights stay above 60°F. In cooler weather, water only after two to four weeks without rain.
Once rooted, water about once a month in summer and little or none in winter. It rots easily, so let the soil dry completely before the next soak.
Plant it with the same side facing the sun as in the nursery. In the low desert, light afternoon shade helps, and a new plant needs shade cloth its first summer.
Young plants are frost sensitive. On nights in the mid 20s or colder, cover them with frost cloth that reaches the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Old Man of Mexico get?
In the wild it can reach about 20 feet or more, usually as a single column about 18 inches thick. It grows very slowly, so most garden plants stay a few feet tall for many years.
Why does it have white hair?
The long white hairs shade the plant from strong sun. Give it plenty of bright light, since sun keeps the hair full.
Is the hair soft?
The hair is soft, but it hides sharp yellow spines underneath, so the plant is not as soft as it looks. Treat it like any spiny cactus when you plant or move it.
Does it need full sun in Phoenix?
It takes full sun, but in the low desert it does best with light shade in the afternoon. A new plant grown in a nursery also needs light shade its first summer to avoid sunburn.
How often should I water it?
Water about once a month in summer and little or none in winter. It rots easily, so always let the soil dry out completely before you water again.
How cold can Old Man of Mexico take?
Plants in the ground handle cold into the mid 20s, and larger ones can take short dips colder. Young plants are frost sensitive, so cover them with frost cloth on cold nights.
Does Old Man of Mexico bloom?
Only when it is old and tall, often after 10 to 20 years or more. The whitish-pink flowers open at night in spring, so young plants are grown for the hair, not the flowers.
Can I keep it in a pot?
Yes, its slow growth makes it a good pot plant. Use a fast-draining cactus mix, water weekly or so in summer and about monthly in winter, and let the mix dry between waterings.
Old Man of Mexico for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Old Man of Mexico (Cephalocereus senilis) is a slow, upright column cactus covered in long white hair. It stays small for many years, so it fits beds, planters and pots. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from sun and water to frost, flowers and spines.
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Old Man of Mexico cactus in Phoenix
Old Man of Mexico is a column cactus covered in long white hair, from the dry hills of central Mexico. It grows slowly and needs little water once rooted.
How big Old Man of Mexico gets
In the wild it can reach about 20 feet as a single column. It grows so slowly that garden plants stay a few feet tall for many years.
Sun and shade for Old Man of Mexico
It takes full sun, but in the low desert light afternoon shade helps. Bright light keeps the white hair full.
Watering Old Man of Mexico
Water about once a month in summer and little or none in winter. It rots easily, so let the soil dry out completely between soaks.
Frost care for Old Man of Mexico
Plants in the ground handle cold into the mid 20s. Cover young plants with frost cloth on colder nights and remove it in the morning.
Old Man of Mexico in pots
Its slow growth makes it a good pot plant for a patio or entry. Use a fast-draining cactus mix and a pot with drainage holes.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.