Golden Cereus

Golden Cereus Bergerocactus emoryi

What is the plant

Bergerocactus emoryi (golden cereus, golden-spined cereus, golden snakecactus) is a species of cactus. It is the sole member of the genus Bergerocactus, named after Alwin Berger. The plant is also known as snake cactus.

Bergerocactus is a monotypic columnar cactus genus, and the sole species grows mostly in Baja California, but its range extends northwards to the coast and hills around San Diego; one favored location is Point Loma peninsula. This relatively rare cactus forms colonies of many thin stems, up to 3 feet tall and 2 inches across, with a dense covering of golden spines, of which one is noticeably longer than the rest. Spines towards the base become dark brown with age. The plants branch only if the growing tip becomes damaged. Bergerocactus emoryi is of relatively easy culture, and suited to hanging baskets as well as pots.

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Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

min 10a

Difficulty

Easy

Water
They require moderately watering through the growing season. This can be done weekly or more frequently during the summertime, if the weather is sunny enough, but allow to dry fully before watering again. Keep rather dry as soon as the temperature starts dropping in October and keep it dry in winter.
Sunlight
Outside full sun, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun. During winter month, put them in a cool luminous place and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water and fertiliser over the winter as they will etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light.
Fertilizer
Give an occasional high potassium liquid feed during the active growing period.

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Soil
Use a loose well-drained cactus mix.
Temperature
Winter care presents no problems at temperatures from 5 to 15°C (41-59°F) with plenty of light, but frost hardy to -2°C (28.4°F) for short periods if very dry. This plant needs a period of cool rest in winter to produce flowers abundantly
Container
This plant can be grown in containers. Choose a pot with enough drainage holes. Since they are relatively rapid growers need plenty of space for their roots, repotting with fresh potting-mix should be done every other year or when the plant has outgrown its pot.