Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Flowering Plants
Origin
Mexico
Southwestern United States, California
Types
Cephalocereus senilis
-
Number of Varieties
140
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Pink
-
Leaf Color in Spring
White
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
White
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Funnel shaped
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Hair
Whole plant
Other Uses
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CEPHALOCEREUS senilis
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Bunny Cactus
White Persian Cat cactus
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Old Man Cactus
Kracher penstemon
In French
Old Man Cactus
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Viejo Cactus
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Γέρος Cactus
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
Old Man Cactus
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Stary Cactus
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Senem Cactus
Firecracker Persicaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Cactaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Cephalocereus
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Pachycereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
200250
1
27800
👆🏻