This stout, shrubby, columnar species has thrived in the Huntington’s Desert Garden for over 40 years. Such a dependable landscape plant and one ornamented with showy, dusky-red flowers seems deserving of wider distribution. It can also be maintained as a smaller container specimen. Cuttings root easily and even small specimens flower freely. Individual flowers are larger than other cleistos and, though not produced in quite the profusion of some of the smaller species, are sufficient to attract hummingbirds in late spring and early summer. HBG 18639, collected by Harry Johnson in 1965 at the type locality, at 2600 m. at Huaraz, Dept. Ancash, Peru. $6.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 82 (2), March - April, 2010