Fastest Growing Cactus?

Anything relating to Cacti or CactiGuide.com that doesn't fit in another category should be posted under General.
User avatar
Chris Willocks
Posts: 77
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:01 am

Fastest Growing Cactus?

Post by Chris Willocks »

I'm just curious, does anyone know what the fastest growing cactus in the world is?
Variegate
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:19 am

Post by Variegate »

Depends on what you mean by 'fastest', more apical growth (growth higher quicker) or more biomass per year?

Pereskiopsis/Pereskia apply to the first, the mother plant I established this year put out several feet of growth.

As far as biomass goes.. id personally have to say the answer is probably Cereus or Trichocereus. Some of the largest established specimens will really put on some growth in a given season.


I just woke up and am tired, there a chance I hit way off the mark lol, so someone confirm/debunk please!

-V
Tony
Posts: 10770
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:56 am
Location: Chino, Ca, USA (zone 10)
Contact:

Post by Tony »

Dont really know the answer to that one, but in my collection, first its Selenicereus chrysocardium. Cylindropuntia spinosior is next and then good ol cereus peruvianus, just my observation. :)
Pereskiopsis grows really fast too but it never gets more than 10 inches long and Im cuttin them up. :lol:
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!

Tony
iann
Posts: 17184
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: England

Post by iann »

Some of the epiphytes will really string on extra length, likewise odd stuff like Peniocereus. I think Opuntias deserve mention too.
--ian
daiv
Site Admin
Posts: 23625
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:15 pm
Location: Long Prairie, MN
Contact:

Post by daiv »

I'd say there are too many variables to claim a particular species as the fastest. I have a trichocereus that hasn't grown in about three years and those are typically fast.

I think you can categorize some plants as faster growing and others as slow in relation to each other, but with living things there are no guarantees.

Aztekium are among the slowest growers compared to other cacti, but A. hintonii is much faster growing than A. ritteri.

Daiv
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
DWDogwood
Posts: 551
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 4:14 pm
Location: San Jose

Post by DWDogwood »

My P. pringlei is ridiculous. Add another 10" of height this season to the pic in link.
That's about 4 liters of mass.

http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... highlight=

I'll nominate this species as having the potential for fast growth in favorable conditions.
Saguaro123
Posts: 2974
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:17 am
Location: SF Bay Area (Zone 9b)

Post by Saguaro123 »

I would recommend Opuntia ficus indica. It exploded last spring and almost doubled in size. I think the speed rate plants grow are variable because I have a C. knizei that grow like a weed, and hear about how slowly others grow.
Variegate
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:19 am

Post by Variegate »

daiv wrote:I'd say there are too many variables to claim a particular species as the fastest. I have a trichocereus that hasn't grown in about three years and those are typically fast.

I think you can categorize some plants as faster growing and others as slow in relation to each other, but with living things there are no guarantees.

Aztekium are among the slowest growers compared to other cacti, but A. hintonii is much faster growing than A. ritteri.

Daiv
Wow man, what species of Trichocereus? I've never encountered anything like that. I should have been more specific, the Pachanoi species is a very fast grower and excellent for landscaping around here. The bigger they get, the faster they grow.

-V
daiv
Site Admin
Posts: 23625
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:15 pm
Location: Long Prairie, MN
Contact:

Post by daiv »

It is T. tersheckii I'm pretty sure. Anyway, it is unhappy and sitting dormant. This is not "normal growth" for the species - just an illustration of one variable.

I agree, T. pachanoi grows so fast it can't hold itself up and falls over. I suspect that having those small/thin woody rods instead of a more formidable skeleton is part of the reason it can grow so fast. But a look at DW's Pachycereus does damage to that theory.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
daiv
Site Admin
Posts: 23625
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:15 pm
Location: Long Prairie, MN
Contact:

Post by daiv »

Just have to add. I think Austrocylindropuntia species are also extremely fast as a general rule.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Tony
Posts: 10770
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2005 2:56 am
Location: Chino, Ca, USA (zone 10)
Contact:

Post by Tony »

I forgot about Harrisia pomanensis, I have a few stems that have grown 4 to 5 feet just this season, not to mention the 20 or so giant flowers and fruits it produced. But as far as mass I think few can compare to dogwoods pachy. 8)

I agree Daiv, A subulata is a fast grower for sure.
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!

Tony
User avatar
Ocotillo
Posts: 549
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:36 pm

Post by Ocotillo »

I agree -- too many variables. Everybody's experience will vary.

I've never had anything grow faster than P marginatus. One went from the size of my thumb to slightly more than 18" tall last summer. And this was good, meaty growth, not etiolation.
Saguaro123
Posts: 2974
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:17 am
Location: SF Bay Area (Zone 9b)

Post by Saguaro123 »

Ocotillo wrote: I've never had anything grow faster than P marginatus. One went from the size of my thumb to slightly more than 18" tall last summer. And this was good, meaty growth, not etiolation.
I was about to get to that. I highly recommend P. marginatus, it grows like a weed, and can form a living fence in no time! I was able to bend over and look at the top of my P. marginatus easily in the beginning of Summer. Now, I can barely bend over to see the top.
ryagiz55
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:31 pm

Re: Fastest Growing Cactus?

Post by ryagiz55 »

i think opuntias
DaveW
Posts: 7376
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Fastest Growing Cactus?

Post by DaveW »

Pereskia's will grow rapidly if grown in a high humidity "Turkish Bath" type atmosphere. Conditions rather different to what most cacti prefer.
Post Reply