Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Toothpick Cactus
Toothpick Cactus, also called Argentine Toothpick, is a tree-like cactus from the dry lowlands of Argentina and Bolivia. Its blue-green stems branch into a broad crown lined with rows of long spines that look like toothpicks. Large white flowers open at night in late spring and early summer, followed by small fruit with edible pulp. Once rooted it needs little water and grows into a bold centerpiece for a desert yard.
Best for: a bold specimen or focal point in a desert yard, large cactus beds grouped with boulders, and open spots with room for a broad crown.
It starts shrubby, then forms a trunk and a broad crown of blue-green branches. Planted on its own, it becomes the centerpiece of a desert yard or front bed.
Grouped with boulders and smaller cacti, it adds height to a large bed. Plant it 8 to 12 feet from other large plants so the crown has room to spread.
Large white flowers open at night in late spring and early summer. Small fruit follow, and the pulp inside is edible.
Mature plants handle about 18 to 20°F, but young plants and new tips are more tender. Soil that stays wet leads to rot, so plant it where water drains fast.
- Group planting8 ft apart, center to center
- Open planting12 ft apart, center to center
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, it needs little water. Give an occasional deep soak in summer, more often in a long dry spell, and little or none in winter. Plants in pots need water more often.
Plant it with the same side facing the sun as in the nursery. A young plant does best with light shade from a nearby tree or shade cloth its first summer.
Mature plants handle about 18 to 20°F. On colder nights, cover young plants and new tips 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 Toothpick Cactus get?
It can reach 15 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide over many years. It grows slowly, so plan the spot for its full size from the start.
How far apart should I plant it?
Plant it 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center, from other large plants. Use the Spacing tab to lay out a group.
When does Toothpick Cactus bloom?
Large white flowers open at night in late spring and early summer. Look for them in the early morning before they close.
Is the fruit edible?
Yes, the small fruit has edible pulp inside. The fruit rind has a tangy, lemony taste.
How cold can it take?
Mature plants handle about 18 to 20°F. Young plants and new stem tips are more tender, so cover them with frost cloth on nights forecast near 20°F.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, it needs little water. Give it an occasional deep soak in summer, especially in a long dry spell, and little or none in winter.
Does it need full sun?
Yes, plant it in full sun. A young plant benefits from some shade from a nearby tree while it gets established.
Can I grow it in a pot?
A young plant grows fine in a large pot for a while. It does better long term in the ground, so plan to plant it out as it grows.
Why is it called Toothpick Cactus?
The stems carry rows of long, stiff spines that look like toothpicks, which is where the name comes from. Young stems are bluish, and older ones turn gray-green.
Toothpick Cactus for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Toothpick Cactus (Stetsonia coryne) is a tree-shaped cactus from Argentina and Bolivia, grown for its blue-green branches and long toothpick spines. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to water, frost, flowers and the edible fruit.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Toothpick Cactus in Arizona
Toothpick Cactus, or Argentine Toothpick, is a tree-shaped cactus from the dry lowlands of Argentina and Bolivia. It handles Valley heat and needs little water once rooted.
How big Toothpick Cactus gets
Over many years it can reach 15 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. It grows slowly and starts shrubby before it forms a trunk and crown.
How far apart to plant Toothpick Cactus
Space it 8 to 12 feet apart, center to center, from other large plants. That leaves room for the crown to spread without crowding its neighbors.
Toothpick Cactus flowers and fruit
Large white flowers open at night in late spring and early summer. Small fruit follow, and the pulp inside is edible once ripe.
Frost care for Toothpick Cactus
Mature plants handle about 18 to 20°F. Cover young plants and new tips with frost cloth on colder nights and remove it in the morning.
Watering Toothpick Cactus in Phoenix
Water a new plant every other week while nights are warm. Once rooted, an occasional deep soak in summer is enough, and it needs little or none in winter.
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.