Hildewintera (Crested)

The name was chosen in honor of Hildegarda Winter, sister of the famous cacti discoverer Friedrich Ritter, who first studied this genus among many others. Some classifications place these plants in the Cleistocactus genus, identifying all Hildewintera only as hybrids of a particular species. However, they have very distinguishable characteristics, first of all the columnar and tapered shape of its lively stems, thin and rarely branched - the peculiarity, that gives them the common name of "monkey's tail". Among the short and golden spines, when mature, large tubular inflorescences blossom, very showy and appreciated, making this plant even more suitable to decorate and color your environments! Here are some easy tips for its proper care and cultivation: It requires a lot of light throughout the year, however, be sure to avoid direct sunlight especially during the hottest hours of the day. It is preferable to keep it at mild temperatures that should never go below 8 °C, for this reason it is recommended to shelter it during the winter period. Water moderately but only when the soil is completely dry. It is enough to water the plant once a week in spring and summer and suspend watering completely in winter. The best soil is a well draining one, for example formed by a mixture of peat and pumice so that the water does not stagnate. These are plants that do not need frequent fertilization, it is sufficient to dilute a specific fertilizer with watering once a year.