Light
Bright Indirect Light
The live `bright_indirect` operational enum is preserved; increase light gradually and monitor the stem beneath the hair-like spine cover for scorch behind hot glass.
Cleistocactus colademononis
Monkey's Tail Cactus
Cleistocactus colademononis identity and care summary
Cleistocactus colademononis is a Cleistocactus recorded as a succulent subshrub or lithophyte. Long trailing stems, a dense white hair-like spine cover, areole pattern, tubular red flowers, fruit, seeds and documented provenance should be evaluated together. Identity should not be settled from a sales label or one photograph; stem orientation, ribs, areoles, spines, flowers, fruit, seeds and documented provenance should be evaluated together.12
Root zone, medium and watering
Use a highly porous mix with abundant pumice and coarse mineral material, limit the organic fraction and choose a stable container for trailing stems. Do not use a fixed-day calendar; water in a controlled cycle after the pot profile and root zone have dried, and extend the interval substantially in cool or low-light periods. A dry-looking surface is insufficient; inspect the lower and central pot profile as well. Leave no standing water after irrigation. After repotting, allow injured roots time to dry and callus.
Do not test low temperature with wet roots during a cool rest. Evaluate wrinkling, soft tissue, colour change and root odour together; attempts to force rapid growth in a continuously wet organic medium increase rot risk.
Light, temperature and observation
The live bright_indirect operational enum is preserved; increase light gradually and monitor the stem beneath the hair-like spine cover for scorch behind hot glass. The operational enum is not a laboratory light threshold; airflow, heat behind glass, season and previous cultivation conditions alter the outcome. Increase light over several weeks.
The current Kew surface maintains six homotypic names, including the historical subspecies combination Cleistocactus winteri subsp. colademono. The current accepted identity is the separate species C. colademononis. The historical nomenclatural link to winteri does not transfer winteri’s global EN status to colademononis. Monkey-tail legacy slugs are preserved but do not change the accepted name.
Safety and conservation
The live safe field is preserved as an operational carry-forward; a hair-like appearance does not remove the physical spine hazard and the plant should not be ingested. The global conservation field is NE.3 The field remains NE because no maintained species-level global assessment was found. Winteri’s EN assessment is not copied to the separately accepted colademononis. Prefer documented legal nursery propagation and do not encourage wild collection.
References
- Plants of the World Online. “Cleistocactus colademononis (Diers & Krahn) Mottram” Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/77077298-1 ↩
- Lowry, M. “A synopsis of the genus Cleistocactus Lemaire (Cactaceae).” Bradleya 34: 148–186. Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://doi.org/10.25223/brad.n34.2016.a6 ↩
- IUCN Red List. “Cleistocactus winteri assessment excluded from colademononis.” Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/151756/558142 ↩
- International Plant Names Index. “Cleistocactus colademononis.” Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://www.ipni.org/n/77077298-1 ↩
Watering
7-25 Days
Do not use a fixed-day calendar; water in a controlled cycle after the pot profile and root zone have dried, and extend the interval substantially in cool or low-light periods.
Soil
Fast-draining, highly porous cactus soil mixed with plenty of pumice, coarse sand, and minimal peat.
Use a highly porous mix with abundant pumice and coarse mineral material, limit the organic fraction and choose a stable container for trailing stems.
Safety
Pet Friendly
The live `safe` field is preserved as an operational carry-forward; a hair-like appearance does not remove the physical spine hazard and the plant should not be ingested.
Difficulty
Moderate
Live operational care class: moderate.
Native Habitat
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Santa Cruz, Bolivia.[^1] [^1]: Plants of the World Online. “Cleistocactus colademononis (Diers & Krahn) Mottram” Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/77077298-1 [^2]: International Plant Names Index. “Cleistocactus colademononis.” Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://www.ipni.org/n/77077298-1 [^3]: Lowry, M. “A synopsis of the genus Cleistocactus Lemaire (Cactaceae).” Bradleya 34: 148–186. Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://doi.org/10.25223/brad.n34.2016.a6 [^4]: IUCN Red List. “Cleistocactus winteri assessment excluded from colademononis.” Accessed: 2026-08-07. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/151756/558142
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the accepted name?
Cleistocactus colademononis (Diers & Krahn) Mottram
What is its native range?
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
How often is it watered?
There is no fixed interval; water after the pot profile and root zone have dried.
What medium is suitable?
Use a highly porous mix with abundant pumice and coarse mineral material, limit the organic fraction and choose a stable container for trailing stems.
What light is suitable?
The live `bright_indirect` operational enum is preserved; increase light gradually and monitor the stem beneath the hair-like spine cover for scorch behind hot glass.
Are synonyms separate species routes?
No; they are nomenclatural names related to the same accepted species in the maintained backbone.
Does one photograph prove identity?
No; stem orientation, ribs, areoles, spines, flowers, fruit, seeds and provenance must be evaluated together.
Is conservation status based on retail stock?
No; global conservation status concerns evidence about wild populations, not commercial inventory.
