Old Man of the Mountain Cactus ‘Oreocereus trollii’

Introducing the Oreocereus trollii, known as the old man of the mountain cactus, which is a stunning member of the Oreocereus genus. It gets its name, Old Man of the Mountain cactus, from the long, white, woolly hairs that cover its cylindrical body, resembling the flowing beard of an old man.  Native to Argentina and Bolivia, this shrubby columnar cactus has shaggy fine white hair that protects it from the night frost and the sun in the morning of high altitudes on arid mountains.   The Oreocereus trollii can form a small clump of stems, each reaching up to 2 feet tall and 4 inches wide, with long, yellow-to-red hair-like radial spines that poke out of the wool. It grows slowly, adding new growth rings each year, which can be seen as distinct bands on its stem. With time, it develops a majestic presence in your garden or indoor space.   The Oreocereus trollii flowers bloom during late spring to early summer, with stunning pink or violet-red flowers that emerge from the top of th