Peruvian Old Lady
Espostoa melanostele

Family: Cactaceae

This columnar plant branches at the base and can get up to 10’ tall but usually only about 6’ tall. It is woolly with spines embedded in the wool. It can be distinguished from Espostoa lanata by having longer central spines (up to 4 inches). It is generally a shorter growing plant and always branches at the base. The columns darken in color with age. Plants form cephaliums (a thickened woolly patch on the side of the upper stems) that have tannish hair and which white flowers emerge from in summer. Flowers are followed by small yellowish white to red fruits.

Plant in full to part sun, low water (maybe once a month in summer). Plants are hardy to about 25°F. Container plants should be watered about once a week in summer, and seldom or not at all in winter.

This species is pollinated by bats and moths. Many birds may eat the fruits.

The genus, Espostoa is named for Nicolas Esposto, a Peruvian botanist. The species, melanostele, means dark column, referring to the habit of stems darkening with age. There are 11 species of Espostoa known from the Andes of southern Ecuador and Peru.

This species has a wide range near the equator in Peru (may be the most widespread of Espostoas), where it is found in southern Lambayeque, La Libertad, Lima, Áncash, and northern Ica at 2,500-5,000’.

Photo of plant in the wild in Peru by Martin Lowry on iNaturalist