{"product_id":"pilosocereus-azureus","title":"Blue Torch Cactus - Pilosocereus azureus","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\u003eBlue Torch Cactus - Pilosocereus azureus\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColour without foliage is a rare thing in a landscape, and this is the plant that delivers it. \u003cem\u003ePilosocereus azureus\u003c\/em\u003e carries a chalky powder blue bloom over deeply ribbed columns that branch from the base with age, building a candelabra silhouette that reads as sculpture rather than planting. Designers reach for it instead of the greener columnar cacti such as Cereus because the blue waxy coating holds its intensity under hard Australian sun and sets off render, corten and pale gravel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy Blue Torch Cactus\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStem Colour\u003c\/strong\u003e: The waxy blue coating is strongest on new growth in full sun and dulls toward grey green in shaded or overwatered positions.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVertical Line\u003c\/strong\u003e: Columns hold rigidly upright rather than leaning, so a row of three or five creates a repeating vertical rhythm in a courtyard.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat Endurance\u003c\/strong\u003e: Reflected heat off paving, walls and pool coping that scorches most plants is exactly the situation this cactus was built for.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNight Flowering\u003c\/strong\u003e: Mature columns produce cream funnel flowers that open after dusk for a single night through the warm months.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNear Zero Upkeep\u003c\/strong\u003e: No pruning, no feeding beyond an occasional light dose in spring, and no leaf litter to sweep.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eIdeal Applications\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCourtyard Sculpture\u003c\/strong\u003e: A single mature column in a gravel bed against a rendered wall does the work of a piece of art.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePoolside Planting\u003c\/strong\u003e: Sheds nothing into the water and tolerates the heat and glare of pool surrounds.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesert and Arid Gardens\u003c\/strong\u003e: Combines with agave, aloe and ornamental grasses for a low water planting palette.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEntry Statement\u003c\/strong\u003e: Paired either side of a doorway or gate for a strong symmetrical arrival.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003eSpecimen \u0026amp; Installation\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (screening\/hedge):\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5 to 0.8m for a colonnade style row\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing (feature\/avenue):\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 to 2.5m for standalone specimens\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest Planting Season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring through early autumn while the soil is warm\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil \u0026amp; Drainage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sharp drainage is non negotiable. Sandy or gritty soil, or a raised mound of coarse mix where the site is clay, neutral to slightly alkaline\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstablishment Care:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water deeply but infrequently and let the soil dry right out between waterings, tapering off through winter. Use gravel or crushed rock as mulch and keep all organic material away from the base of the column, since collar rot from damp mulch is the main cause of loss.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch4\u003ePlant Details\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 to 5m in Australian gardens over many years\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.6 to 1.5m as basal branches develop\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen (leafless succulent stems)\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun, minimum six hours\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative to:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eastern Brazil\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower Colour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cream to white, opening at night\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Direct","offers":[{"title":"400mm","offer_id":59795361890590,"sku":"ND-1359-400MM","price":800.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/2536\/8862\/files\/Gr3xLpbZoOzrCG-uWk3IS_8PtY3rF9.jpg?v=1787314247","url":"https:\/\/nurserydirect.com.au\/products\/pilosocereus-azureus","provider":"Nursery Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}