Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Mexico
Types
-
Cephalocereus senilis
Number of Varieties
401
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
White
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
White
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
White
Leaf Color in Winter
-
White
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Funnel shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Asthma
Skin irritation
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
Whole plant
Bulbs, Hair
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
CEPHALOCEREUS senilis
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Bunny Cactus
White Persian Cat cactus
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
In German
Kracher penstemon
Old Man Cactus
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Old Man Cactus
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Viejo Cactus
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Γέρος Cactus
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Old Man Cactus
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Stary Cactus
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Senem Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Cephalocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Pachycereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
250200
1
27800
👆🏻