Chamaecereus silvestrii

Creeping succulent species. Creeping stems, very branched, with a circular section of the diameter of about 1 cm with very short spines close to the stems. Large (4 cm) and showy flowers, orange in colour, produced in profusion between the end of winter and spring. This species was first collected and described in 1896 as Cereus silvestrii by the Italian-Argentine botanist Carlo Luigi Spegazzini in the mountains between the provinces of Tucuman and Salta, Argentina. However, subsequent expeditions to the area failed to find the species that Spegazzini had discovered, and it is not known whether it became extinct after the initial collection. It requires a sunny or partial shade position and well-drained soil. Hardy down to -7°C, it tolerates frost but must remain completely dry during the winter. Instead, water once every 10-15 days from spring to early autumn. Bare root seedling with one or more stems.