Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
baseball bat cactus
Family Name:
Cactaceae
Botanical Name:
Neoraimondia herzogiana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
This tree-like cactus grows in the shape of a baseball bat, skinny near the base and bigger near the top. Usually grows from a single stock that forms a candelabrum shape (2). This plant can grow to 40 feet and taller (1,3). This species of cactus have larger areoles than most cactus and will produce flowers every year. New growth is stout spines and the N. herzogiana have very long spines when its young.
Compound:
Neo her
Geographic Origin:
Bolivia
Ecozone Origin:
Neotropic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
This species was first described by American botanists Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose. They wrote multiple volumes of cactus taxonomy between 1919 and 1923. There work is a corner stone in the botanical field (4).The Neoraimondia herzogiana was moved to this genus in 1997 (2). This plant is endemic to Bolivia and was distributed to Arizona and California (1).
Cultivation Notes:
To take care the baseball bat cactus it prefers full sunlight and needs minimum water, is very drought tolerant. Keep the soil well drained to avoid root rot, soil preferences is gritty. In special situation the baseball bat cactus is verticillium wilt resistant (5).
Ethnobotany:
In Bolivia the locals will harvest the fruit and use the wood for construction, carpentry and for making furniture (3). The fruits can be eaten raw after scrubbing or made into a jam.
Height:
50 - 100 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
Winter
Color:
Pink
Function:
Spread:
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
