CARDÓN: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

The cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) is a cylindrical columnar arborescent cactus that is part of the Cactaceae family. It is native and is restricted to the desert areas of the state of Sonora in Mexico and Baja California in the United States.

This species of cactus can exceed 15 meters in height and is therefore known as the great cardón, being the tallest cactus in the world. In addition, it is the longest-lived cactus on the planet, since it can live from two to three centuries.

Pachycereus pringlei. Source: wikimedia commons

The cardón is a highly branched perennial tree producing a stem that can measure up to 1 meter in diameter. This species is trioic, indicating that there may be monoecious, dioecious, and hermaphrodite individuals. It is also tetraploid, thus breaking the barriers of self-incompatibility for hermaphroditic and dioecious individuals.

Pachycereus pringlei is frequently established in alluvial soils with deep soils, grouping itself in ecological units called cardonales. However, it also establishes itself on rocky slopes and even on saline soils, although to a lesser extent.

This cactus grows very slowly, a few centimeters per year; and the reproductive period begins with the production of flowers, after a state of dormancy. The propagation in this species is carried out by seeds, although it can also be propagated vegetatively by cuttings.

characteristics

Tree

Pachycereus pringlei is a perennial cylindrical columnar cactus that can grow up to 20 meters high and has numerous buttresses. The tree is decurrent with a large stem that contains, in turn, numerous erect stems that are often branched. In addition, the main stem can measure 100 cm in diameter.

flowers

The flowers arise from the tips of the stems on the margin of the buttresses, one per areola during the day or at night. Each flower is 4 to 12 cm in length, and is broadly cylindrical or funnel-shaped. The ovary and the floral tube are covered by numerous podiars.

The giant cardon. H. Zell

In turn, the floral tube is thickened, and is half the length of the flower. The perianth is short, its parts expand away from the tube, and the coloration varies from white to ivory. Meanwhile, the stamens are numerous, especially in large flowers. The style has several lobes above the level of the stamen.

Reproduction

It has been determined that the proportion in the field of individuals with female, male and hermaphroditic flowers is 0.43, 0.29, and 0.25, respectively. Furthermore, details of the reproduction of P. pringlei indicate that the anthers of female flowers are devoid of pollen.

The large ovary of male flowers is devoid of ovules. Hermaphroditic flowers are self-compatible, and inbreeding depression in hermaphrodite flower progeny is very low. Also, there are more male flowers that produce more pollen at night per season than hermaphroditic flowers, and female flowers produce more fruit and seeds per season than hermaphroditic flowers.

According to the annual amount of pollen and seeds, the fertility of female and male flowers is relatively higher than that of hermaphrodite flowers. While in the absence of pollen limitation, female flowers produce almost three times more seeds than hermaphroditic flowers.

Pollination

Pollination is carried out at night by bats of the genus Leptonycteris, since their flowers open at night. While, during the day, pollination is carried out by bees and birds before they close (early in the morning).

Pollination made by bats in hermaphrodite and female flowers brings with it a production of almost 89% fruits. In contrast, fruit formation depends on the amount of pollen in female flowers, but not in hermaphrodites.

Fruit

The immature fruit is globular, 1 to 2 cm wide, and has numerous tan or golden trichomes, which cover the pericarp as a thin layer.

While the mature fruit is globular or ovoid, 4 to 8 cm wide, with long golden spines and trichomes. The fruit is covered with groups of golden thorns that disappear when ripe. The pulp is red and the fruit opens when it dries into apical openings.

Seeds

The seeds are glossy and black, 2 to 4.5 cm long, with prominent raphe, with oblique thread, and with a thin integument.

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae.

- Subkingdom: Viridiplantae.

- Infra kingdom: Streptophyte.

- Super division: Embriofita.

- Division: Tracheophyte.

- Subdivision: Eufilofitina.

- Infra division: Lignofita.

- Class: Spermatophyte.

- Subclass: Magnoliofita.

- Superorder: Caryophyllanae.

- Order: Caryophyllales.

- Family: Cactaceae.

- Subfamily: Cactoideae.

- Tribe: Pachycereeae.

- Genus: Pachycereus.

- Species: Pachycereus pringlei.

Habitat and reproduction

Pachycereus pringlei is an arborescent cactus that colonizes most of the regions of the Sonoran desert. It is largely distributed over the territory of the lower peninsula of California, the central and coastal region of the state of Sonora, and all the islands of the Gulf of California.

La Paz 2, Baja California Sur. Darmanin from Malta lover

The cardón is established regularly on alluvial lands with deep soils, grouping itself into ecological units designated as cardonales. The main biotic communities are distributed as mosaics within a broad continuum of coastal scrubland.

This cactus is located in the southern areas and regions of Puerto Lobos, Sonora, and on some islands, particularly on Cholludo Island. It is also found in coastal areas near the edge of the desert.

Care

Pachycereus pringlei is a cactus with multiple requirements for its establishment.

Pachycereus pringlei. Tangopaso

Brightness

The cardón needs a lot of direct sunlight, so it is recommended to plant it in open spaces.

Water

Since it is a plant that establishes itself in very dry places, excess water can cause damage, especially to the root system.

Temperature

The ideal temperature to keep Pachycereus pringlei should be similar to the temperature fluctuations in the Sonoran Desert.

Floor

The cardón grows on rocky soils. Also, if you want to grow from a pot, it is important to take soil from the natural areas where it is established, since this plant is associated with certain microorganisms that facilitate the taking of nutrients.

Fertilization

Although it is not necessary, a little commercial fertilizer will not harm you.

References

1. Delgado-Fernández, M., Escobar-Flores, J., Franklin, K. 2017. The giant cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) and its interactions with fauna in the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. University Act, 27 (5): 11-18
2. Felger, RS, Lowe, CH1976. The island and coastal vegetation and flora of the northern part of the gulf of California. Natural History Museum of the Los Angeles County
3. Fleming, TH, Maurice, S., Hamrick, JL 1998. Geographic variation in the breeding system and the evolutionary stability of trioecy in Pachycereus pringlei (Cactaceae). Evolutionary ecology, 12 (3): 279-289.
4. Gibson, AC, Horak, KE 1978. Systematic anatomy and phylogeny of Mexican columnar cacti. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 65 (4): 999-1057
5. Medel-Narváez, A. 2008. Ecological and genetic study of the cardón (Pachycereus pringlei) in the Sonoran desert. PhD thesis at the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noreste.
6. Murawski, DA, Fleming, TH, Ritland, K., Hamrick, JL 1994. Mating system of Pachycereus pringlei: an autotetraploid cactus. Heredity, 72: 86-94
7. The taxonomicon. (2004-2019). Taxon: Genus Pachycereus (A. Berger) NL Britton & JN Rose (1909) (plant). Taken from: taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl
8. World of succulents. (2013). How to grow and care for Pachycereus. Taken from: worldofsucculents.com