{"product_id":"pachycereus-pringlei-elephant-cactus","title":"Elephant Cactus - Pachycereus pringlei","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrice includes everything:\u003c\/strong\u003e the plant, free delivery and professional installation by our planting team. One price, whole job done.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eElephant Cactus - Pachycereus pringlei\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cardon of Baja California, \u003cem\u003ePachycereus pringlei\u003c\/em\u003e, is the heaviest and among the tallest of all cacti, building thick blue green ribbed columns that branch upward into a candelabra as the plant matures. In an Australian garden it functions as a piece of permanent vertical sculpture: no seasonal change, no leaf litter, no irrigation and no pruning. It is slow, which means the plant you install is close to the plant you will be looking at for years, and it demands only two things, full sun and drainage that never lets the base sit wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy Elephant Cactus\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColumn Form\u003c\/strong\u003e: Thick ribbed blue green columns with a soft grey bloom, branching into a candelabra as the plant ages.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePermanence\u003c\/strong\u003e: A fixed silhouette that reads the same in every season and every year, which suits architectural planting.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater Use\u003c\/strong\u003e: Essentially nil once established. Overwatering, particularly in winter, is the main cause of failure.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrost Limit\u003c\/strong\u003e: Tolerates light frost only. Prolonged cold or cold combined with wet will scar and rot the columns.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight and Footing\u003c\/strong\u003e: A mature plant is extremely heavy, so it needs firm, stable ground and a solid footing rather than loose fill.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eIdeal Applications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArid Style Courtyard\u003c\/strong\u003e: The centrepiece of a gravel and boulder courtyard with agaves and aloes at its feet.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArchitectural Feature\u003c\/strong\u003e: Set against a rendered or masonry wall and uplit, it works as a piece of built form.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSheltered Terrace Planter\u003c\/strong\u003e: Suited to a large, deep, sharply drained container under eaves where winter rain is limited.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow Water Streetscape\u003c\/strong\u003e: Appropriate in hot dry inland gardens where irrigation is not available.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecimen \u0026amp; Installation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (screening\/hedge):\u003c\/strong\u003e Not a screening plant. Grouped for effect, 1.5 to 2m apart.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (feature\/avenue):\u003c\/strong\u003e 2 to 3m, with clear access all round for maintenance.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest Planting Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring to early autumn, into warm dry soil.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil \u0026amp; Drainage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gritty, mineral, sharply drained. A raised bed or mound is strongly preferred, and irrigation should be off completely through winter.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablishment Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water only once a month through the first warm season, and not at all in cold weather. Use a gravel or coarse sand surface dressing rather than organic mulch, and keep everything clear of the base so the collar stays dry.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2 to 5m over decades in Australian gardens, far taller over a very long life in habitat\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 to 2.5m once branching begins\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen succulent, leafless\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to:\u003c\/strong\u003e North west Mexico, in Baja California and Sonora\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower Colour:\u003c\/strong\u003e White, opening at night in spring on mature plants\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Direct","offers":[{"title":"400mm","offer_id":59795361661214,"sku":"ND-1305-400MM","price":2500.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/2536\/8862\/files\/ztvOflOE1rNaO4S0-5dDl_4eiWzW95.jpg?v=1787314247","url":"https:\/\/nurserydirect.com.au\/products\/pachycereus-pringlei-elephant-cactus","provider":"Nursery Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}