Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Old Man of the Andes
Old Man of the Andes is a white-haired column cactus from the high Andes of Bolivia, Peru and northern Argentina. Downy white hair covers the stems, heaviest near the tips, and hides sharp spines. It grows slowly, branching from the base, and can eventually reach about 10 feet. In spring and summer it opens tubular, purplish-pink flowers, and it is hardy to about 10°F.
Best for: a white-haired accent with morning sun and afternoon shade, large pots, and cactus gardens.
Downy white hair covers the stems, thickest near the tips. It protects the plant from strong sun at high altitude.
In Phoenix it needs protection from the afternoon summer sun. A spot with morning sun suits it best.
Its sap helps it handle cold down to about 10°F, which is unusual for a column cactus. A Valley winter will not hurt it.
Hot afternoon sun in summer stresses it, and it rots easily in winter if overwatered. The hair hides sharp spines.
- Tight group4 ft apart
- Looser group6 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.
Water deeply in the warm months only when the soil is dry, and give little or none in winter. Plants in pots dry out faster and need water more often than plants in the ground.
In Phoenix it needs protection from the afternoon sun in summer. Plant it where it gets morning sun, with the same side facing the sun as in the nursery.
Below about 10°F, frost can scar the stem tips. Cover the tips with foam cups or frost cloth that reaches the ground, not plastic. Take covers 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.
Can Old Man of the Andes take Phoenix sun?
It cannot take full sun all day here. Give it morning sun and shelter from the hot afternoon sun in summer.
How big does it get?
It grows slowly and can reach about 10 feet, branching from the base. Most plants stay much shorter, so a large pot works for years.
Is it cold hardy?
Yes, it handles cold to about 10°F, so a Valley winter will not hurt it. Its sap helps it handle cold.
How often should I water it?
It needs little water once rooted, about once a month in summer. Keep it dry in winter, since it rots easily if overwatered.
Does the hair hide spines?
Yes. Sharp spines are hidden in the white hair, so handle it with gloves.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring and summer, with tubular purplish-pink flowers. In its home range hummingbirds pollinate them.
What soil does it need?
Plant it in very well-drained, rocky soil. Keep it dry in winter, since wet soil then causes rot.
How is it different from Old Man of the Mountain?
Old Man of the Andes grows into taller columns, up to about 10 feet. Old Man of the Mountain stays about 1 to 3 feet.
Old Man of the Andes for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Old Man of the Andes, Oreocereus celsianus, is a slow, white-haired column cactus from the high Andes. It is hardy to about 10°F but wants afternoon shade in Phoenix summers. Here is what Valley homeowners ask.
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Old Man of the Andes cactus in Phoenix
This white-haired column cactus needs afternoon shade in Phoenix summers. Morning sun suits it best.
How big Oreocereus celsianus gets
It grows slowly and can reach about 10 feet, though most plants stay shorter.
Cold hardiness of Old Man of the Andes
It handles cold to about 10°F, unusual for a column cactus.
Watering Old Man of the Andes
Water it about once a month in summer and keep it dry in winter. Very good drainage prevents rot.
Old Man of the Andes flowers
Tubular purplish-pink flowers open in spring and summer.
Old Man of the Andes vs Old Man of the Mountain
Old Man of the Andes grows taller columns. Mountain stays a small clump about 1 to 3 feet tall.
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