trichocereus "sun goddess"

[Reyes Vargas]

I was at my local home depot and came across this beauty.  The pictures don't do this cactus justice.  It kinda looks like a saguaro cactus. Does anyone have any information on this cactus.  Cold hardiness? Sun? The tag on the pot says cold hardy to 35 but I tend to not believe the labels on home depot and Lowe's plants.  Also is $25 a good deal?  Thanks

[Josue Diaz]

I've seen this hybrid sold at the big box stores in California too. The trich hybrids are super pretty - they're bred for huge, colorful blooms. I believe Sun Goddess is a white flowered one. These hybrids tend to clump. I have an unnamed hybrid with reddish flowers and one with magenta flowers. The magenta one is probably close to 20 years old and close to 4 feet tall. 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Josue Diaz

[Silas_Sancona]

4 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

I was at my local home depot and came across this beauty.  The pictures don't do this cactus justice.  It kinda looks like a saguaro cactus. Does anyone have any information on this cactus.  Cold hardiness? Sun? The tag on the pot says cold hardy to 35 but I tend to not believe the labels on home depot and Lowe's plants.  Also is $25 a good deal?  Thanks

Where you're at,  part/ shifting sun.. like under a Mesquite. Trichos are pretty forgiving about soil ( just be sure it drains well ) and water ( ones in the ground here can go weeks between soakings, esp. during the winter ) Little less water helps keep them more compact, less "leggy"  Will eventually form a clump w/ numerous pups/offsets that will lean out a bit from the center, kind of like the arms on an Octopus. Majority of Trichos are spring flowering ( See my yearly " Cactus Season " threads ) though some may re-flower in late summer or fall.

Majority of Trichos are cold hardy to at least 25-27F but can survive lower ( hopefully it doesn't  go lower there -next week-, or ever.. ) if kept drier. You can also place Styrofoam cups over the heads of each stem ( usually the most sensitive part of most cacti in a frost/freeze.

[Reyes Vargas]

4 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Where you're at,  part/ shifting sun.. like under a Mesquite. Trichos are pretty forgiving about soil ( just be sure it drains well ) and water ( ones in the ground here can go weeks between soakings, esp. during the winter ) Little less water helps keep them more compact, less "leggy"  Will eventually form a clump w/ numerous pups/offsets that will lean out a bit from the center, kind of like the arms on an Octopus. Majority of Trichos are spring flowering ( See my yearly " Cactus Season " threads ) though some may re-flower in late summer or fall.

Majority of Trichos are cold hardy to at least 25-27F but can survive lower ( hopefully it doesn't  go lower there -next week-, or ever.. ) if kept drier. You can also place Styrofoam cups over the heads of each stem ( usually the most sensitive part of most cacti in a frost/freeze.

Thanks Nathan.  I had a feeling that they were at least a little more cold hardy than what the label said.  How about the price, is that a good deal or to much?

[Silas_Sancona]

2 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

Thanks Nathan.  I had a feeling that they were at least a little more cold hardy than what the label said.  How about the price, is that a good deal or to much?

Yea, not sure why the big box offerings put such a high number for the cold tolerance but definitely hardier. Very popular landscape plant in Tucson which can see lower 20s/ highest teens in a few parts of town.

As far as pricing, in the ballpark, though perhaps at the higher end of $' es i have seen/ paid for these. That said, have seen some hybrids ( not sure the guy who sold lots of really good ones near San Diego is still in business anymore ) selling for $50 at that size.  Once you get them going and they start offsetting, easy to propagate/ start more in other spots in your landscape. Trichos are easy from cuttings as well ( if you ever have to lop off a stem ) For a Cactus, most of these are pretty quick growing.

One thing i almost forgot to mention, really no need to fertilize these ( let alone any Cacti ).. In fact, if you ever apply anything, apply Calcium ( Should be plenty in your Limestone/shell based soil ) and/or Potassium, during the summer.. Too much Nitrogen and the stems can elongate too much / might negatively effect flower as well.

Quick note on hybrids/cultivars. Numerous crosses created by Mark Dimmit, a longtime/ well respected plant guru down in Tucson, are well worth seeking out. Some of my personal favorites. 

[aabell]

@Reyes Vargas I picked up this same one from HD nearly 2 years ago - it's a very attractive fat little saguaro-like cactus, like you said, and seems fairly happy here in Florida where cacti and succulents are hit-or-miss. Grows fast although I'm thinking this is probably the max height for it and it will spread out via offsets from here. No flowers yet, and I haven't been able to confirm what color "sun goddess" is supposed to be, but hoping we will see some this spring.

[Reyes Vargas]

59 minutes ago, aabell said:

@Reyes Vargas I picked up this same one from HD nearly 2 years ago - it's a very attractive fat little saguaro-like cactus, like you said, and seems fairly happy here in Florida where cacti and succulents are hit-or-miss. Grows fast although I'm thinking this is probably the max height for it and it will spread out via offsets from here. No flowers yet, and I haven't been able to confirm what color "sun goddess" is supposed to be, but hoping we will see some this spring.

I should have gotten it when I was there.  By the time I decided that I wanted it "who knows if it was still there" but we got hit by this massive arctic blast that killed even some of our native cacti.  I'm going to check this coming week to see if it's still there.  Hopefully it's reduced if it got a little damaged from the cold.  I think sun goddess is a white flower at least that's what Josue Diaz said.

[aabell]

19 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

I should have gotten it when I was there.  By the time I decided that I wanted it "who knows if it was still there" but we got hit by this massive arctic blast that killed even some of our native cacti.  I'm going to check this coming week to see if it's still there.  Hopefully it's reduced if it got a little damaged from the cold.  I think sun goddess is a white flower at least that's what Josue Diaz said.

I'm glad you didn't buy it then, I worried after I replied that maybe you had and then immediately lost it to the cold. Maybe if it's still there you will have a good sense of its hardiness now.

[Paradise Found]

I have two Trichocereus hybrids I got a long time ago from H.D. mine look just like Josue with big redish pink flower, not sure if its sun goddess or not.  One is planted in the ground last year and the other has been on my south facing porch for at least 5 years. The one in the ground in growing westside of house in dabble shade and has some damage to the biggest one. The one on the porch is flawless and has seen 22F, I hardly water it.  Keeping them dry is the key in my climate. 

I'll take a picture of them both tomorrow to see if anyone can ID them. 

[Paradise Found]

33 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

I have two Trichocereus hybrids I got a long time ago from H.D. mine look just like Josue with big redish pink flower, not sure if its sun goddess or not.  One is planted in the ground last year and the other has been on my south facing porch for at least 5 years. The one in the ground in growing westside of house in dabble shade and has some damage to the biggest one. The one on the porch is flawless and has seen 22F, I hardly water it.  Keeping them dry is the key in my climate. 

I'll take a picture of them both tomorrow to see if anyone can ID them. 

I just remember the one I have is Trich grandiflorus hybrid.  I remember passing on sun goddess. 

Edited February 21, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Reyes Vargas]

9 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

I just remember the one I have is Trich grandiflorus hybrid.  I remember passing on sun goddess. 

That's a nice one.  I like the red/salmon color. 

[Reyes Vargas]

10 hours ago, aabell said:

I'm glad you didn't buy it then, I worried after I replied that maybe you had and then immediately lost it to the cold. Maybe if it's still there you will have a good sense of its hardiness now.

If your cactus flowers this spring please post pictures.

[Paradise Found]

Thanks I will, I will also take a picture what they look like now as soon as it stops raining. The one I have went through 22f with no problem if kept totally dry. One in the ground doesn't look so good.  Will get pics soon as I can. 

[Paradise Found]

Here are the updates, one in the wet ground, verses, one on dry porch.  Porch wins. I'll have to take out the damage ones in the ground and put a cover over it for the rest of winter and every winter. 

[Reyes Vargas]

24 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

Here are the updates, one in the wet ground, verses, one on dry porch.  Porch wins. I'll have to take out the damage ones in the ground and put a cover over it for the rest of winter and every winter. 

I see what you mean.  That cacti is not happy in the ground.  What are those aloe looking plants in the second picture?

[Paradise Found]

The blue one is Brevifolia, green one is Nobilis both came from H.D. outside section.  Doing pretty good for dabble shade, I'll try and give it more sunshine come march.  Like to try more of the more hardier one then these two. 

List of Hardy Aloes.

https://www.smgrowers.com/info/brian_aloe.pdf

 

[aztropic]

On 2/20/2021 at 7:02 PM, aabell said:

@Reyes Vargas No flowers yet, and I haven't been able to confirm what color "sun goddess" is supposed to be, but hoping we will see some this spring.

Flower color IS white on this cactus. Here's a pic from the grower,showing off hundreds of copies up for sale. (I have 1 myself)

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona 

 

[aztropic]

Here's my 'sun goddess', along with a couple other tricho hybryids that just opened flowers this morning.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

A couple other flower colors I have planted.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Meangreen94z]

Some of the grandiflora/sun goddess hybrids can take single digits. They hybridize Trichocereus spachianus and others with Lobivia species that are hardy into the negatives.

[aabell]

On 2/20/2021 at 9:02 PM, aabell said:

@Reyes Vargas I picked up this same one from HD nearly 2 years ago - it's a very attractive fat little saguaro-like cactus, like you said, and seems fairly happy here in Florida where cacti and succulents are hit-or-miss. Grows fast although I'm thinking this is probably the max height for it and it will spread out via offsets from here. No flowers yet, and I haven't been able to confirm what color "sun goddess" is supposed to be, but hoping we will see some this spring.

Update on this one - the main stem seems to have maxed out and now it's putting energy into the offsets. I don't think it's super happy in Florida but seems to tolerate being in the ground here well enough. Sadly I don't think we have enough winter chill to induce blooming. Three years now and not even a hint of any buds. I have a small collection of Echinopsis hybrids, Echinocereus, and a handful of other big box store cacti, and blooms are few and far between. 'Rainbow bursts' in the pot behind there looks like it will have only one flower this year. Should probably stick to tropical Cereus-types in this climate.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

14 minutes ago, aabell said:

Update on this one - the main stem seems to have maxed out and now it's putting energy into the offsets. I don't think it's super happy in Florida but seems to tolerate being in the ground here well enough. Sadly I don't think we have enough winter chill to induce blooming. Three years now and not even a hint of any buds. I have a small collection of Echinopsis hybrids, Echinocereus, and a handful of other big box store cacti, and blooms are few and far between. 'Rainbow bursts' in the pot behind there looks like it will have only one flower this year. Should probably stick to tropical Cereus-types in this climate.

 

Looks pretty Happy, imo..

Might not help for this year, but would feed them w/ something higher in K ( Cacti require No N, and very low Phos. ) Too much Nitrogen will also sacrifice flowers at the expense of lanky stem growth. Use Langbenite on mine once every 2nd or 3rd year ( Probably could hit them a little more w/ it though ). That may help them flower next year there.. Helps w/ the stubborn ones i have here..  Placing potted Echinopsis and Tricho. specimens in an area which gets little or no direct sun during the shortest days in winter may help them flower as well. ( By providing a cooler rest period ) No water, other than any rainfall at that time as well.
 

[richtrav]

This was the bed Thursday morning, unfortunately I was out of town so missed it. These have gone through some wet spells over the past 4-5 years, what’s left is pretty tolerant to the rain and humidity we get here.