Stats

Lifespan

Up to 100 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Mountain desert

Range

South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Spines

Status

Rare

About

This cactus grows on the rocky, high-altitude slopes of the Andes mountains. Its dense coat of white hair reflects intense UV radiation to prevent internal freezing.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Cactaceae

Genus

Oreocereus

Species

Oreocereus celsianus