Old Man Cactus

If you are looking for a houseplant with a lot of character and personality, consider growing old man cactus (Cephalocereus senilis). While it isn’t wrinkly or on social security, the plant does have fluffy white tufts of hair over the surface of the cactus body.

Light: Old man cactus needs a sunny, warm location but has few other needs. You should watch it carefully for pests, however, which can hide in the hair. These include mealybugs, scale, and flying pests.

Watering: Allow the top couple of inches (5 cm.) of soil to dry out completely between waterings. In winter, reduce watering to once or twice during the season.

Fertilize with a cactus food in early spring and you might be rewarded with thick pink flowers. In the plant’s natural habitat it grows a 1 inch (2.5 cm.) long fruit, but this is rare in captive cultivation. There is very little leaf or needle drop and no reason to prune as part of old man cactus care.