Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis

Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis is native to North Chile. This succulent thrives in flat rocky areas, slopes, and even deserts. The term Eulychnia comes from two ancient Greek terms, “eu” meaning “good” and “lychnos” meaning “lamp”.

Family:	Cactaceae
Genus:	Eulychnia
Scientific Name:	Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis
Other Names:	Spiralis, Varisparilis, Unicorn Cactus, Unicorn Horn Cactus
Growth Season:	Spring and Summer Seasons
Preferred Temperature:	60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, keep your Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis indoors.
Hardiness Zone:	USDA Hardiness Zones 10a to11b
Average Mature Height & Width:	2 meters tall
Dormancy:	Winter Season
Toxicity:	Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis is non-toxic to both humans and animals. Do not worry about leaving your pets or kids around this succulent.

Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis’ Physical Characteristics

This succulent is known to be the spiral variation of Eulychnia Castanea. It has a bright green stem that grows in columnar habit and typically branches at the base. The stem is made of tubercles that grow in a clockwise spiral way.

Brown spines separate each tubercle. Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis is considered leafless. It is rare for this succulent to bloom, but when it does, it produces small cream flowers during summer. The flower typically appears on top of each stem.

After its flowering season, it will bear fruits that will eventually be the source of seeds for this succulent. The fruits must be overripe for you to harvest some seeds. To fully grow, Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis must be well-rooted. 

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Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis Care

This succulent is a slow growing succulent. It doesn’t need much care to grow fully. You may water your Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis regularly every ten days during its growing season. Always check if the soil is dried before watering. This is crucial to avoid overwatering your plant as it might cause root rot. Stop watering or lessen the watering duration during its dormant season.

It is advisable to provide full sunlight to your Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis.

Use a soil mixture with pumice, clay, or loam to provide enough proper drainage. Feeding your succulent might help to achieve lush growth. Feed your Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis once a month during its growing period. Make sure that you stop feeding your succulent during its dormant period. 

DO YOU KNOW? Caring (propagating, pruning/trimming, beheading, watering, …) is a set of skills that is applicable to almost every succulent. Read the in-depth succulent care guide right here >>

Richard from Succulent City

Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis Growth

Growing Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis is quite an easy task. This succulent can be propagated through grafting or cutting. For the grafting method, the Myrtillocactus trunk is usually used. For the cutting method, use a clean garden knife and remember to let the stem dry for a few days before replanting.

You may want to prune your Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis to eliminate dying or dead stems or flowers. This is important for your succulent to have enough nutrients to supply its healthy parts.

Repot your succulent once it grows more prominent than its current pot already. Using a pot 2 centimeters wider than its current pot is advisable. Remember that you may also repot during the growing season. Use fresh soil when repotting to avoid clogging and promote proper drainage.

Eulychnia Castanea F. Spiralis is not prone to pests. However, monitoring any early symptoms of infestation, such as mealy bugs, aphids, and scale, is better.

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