Cleistocactus Winteri, also known as Golden Rat Tail, is an eye-catching cactus that you can easily grow in your home. A great thing about these cacti is that they don't require much care or maintenance, so they are an excellent choice for beginner gardeners or those who can't dedicate much time to their plants.

Golden Rat Tail plant has a very peculiar, wild appearance that is very striking. While it might not appeal to all gardeners, those who like cacti and succulents will sure appreciate its exciting appearance.

You can grow Cleistocactus Winteri inside of your home or in your garden. Most people choose to grow Golden Rat Tail in hanging baskets, but there is no reason not to plant it directly in the garden, provided that you live in a warm enough area.

Cleistocactus Winteri Plant Facts

Cleistocactus Winteri is a cactus native to Bolivia, and it can be grown outdoors in the USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. This is a branching cactus that prefers forest cliffs and high elevations. Golden Rat Tail comes in many different subspecies, and all are popular house plants you can grow in your home or garden.

It is important to know that this cactus can be toxic to pets. Luckily, it is typically too sharp for pets to touch it, but some varieties, such as Monkey's Tail Cleistocactus are softer, so keep this in mind if you wish to grow it with pets in your home.

One important feature of Cleistocactus Winteri is its rapid growth. Unlike most other cacti, it can grow more than 3 feet in height. It also grows many ribs, typically 10 or more, each with more than 50 spines. However, some specimens can grow up to 16 or 17 ribs. This is one thing to keep in mind when growing this cactus in your home or garden.

Cleistocactus Winteri stems are tangled, and are covered in short spines. Because of the tangled stems, make sure to keep it away from other plants. There should be around 2 feet of distance between a Golden Rat Tail and other plants.

These cacti bloom late in winter or early in the spring. The flowers are light ink or orange and about 2 inches in size.

As noted above, these cacti are not difficult to care for, but there are some things you need to provide to them in order to make your Cleistocactus Winteri thrive.

Cleistocactus Winteri Care Requirements

Cleistocactus Winteri is a hardy species that can survive without much care. On the other hand, to make your plant strong and healthy, it is best to provide it with basic requirements that it needs.

The first thing you need to consider are light levels. This cactus prefers sunny locations, or partially shaded spots, depending on whether you grow it indoors or outdoors. Inside of the home, temperature and other conditions are more consistent, so it is best to keep your Golden Rat Tail in a bright spot, but not under direct sun. Choose a sunny spot in your home where your cactus can receive a lot of filtered light.

On the other hand, if you choose to grow Golden Rat Tail outdoors, the best spot will depend on climate in your area. This cactus can tolerate direct sunlight if it's not too strong. Too high temperatures and too much direct light can cause its leaves to burn. If you live in very hot areas, make sure to place it in a partially shaded environment, or somewhere where your cactus will receive plenty of morning or late afternoon sun, but without being subjected to strong direct sunshine at the hottest part of the day.

During the winter, it is recommended to move your Cleistocactus Winteri indoors, preferably to a dry spot. This is also true if you grow your cacti outdoors in hanging baskets. If the baskets are sheltered, and if the climate is mild, they can stay outdoors, but make sure to protect your cacti from heavy winds.

Cleistocactus Winteri can grow happily in any type of soil, as long as it has good drainage. It will be happy in acidic, neutral and alkaline soil, but it is best to use a cactus mix if you keep it as a potted plant. In nature, these cacti live in a rocky environment, so this is a perfect soil for them.

When it comes to watering, keep in mind that Cleistocactus Winteri is a cactus, so you should never water it too much. You need to water it regularly during the summer, but this plant strongly prefers drier soil during the winter. When watering in the summer, always allow for the top inch of the soil to dry out before watering your cactus again. In general, it would mean watering about once in 10 days. During the winter, Cleistocactus Winteri can go about 4-5 weeks without water, so keep this in mind.

It is fine to use tap water for your Cleistocactus Winteri, but it will prefer distilled water or rainwater.

When watering, remember the type of the pot you use. Plastic pots do not drain well, so this will affect the time you need to wait between waterings. You should also take into account the location of the plant and how much heat it receives. Another factor is the age of the plant. Young plants generally need to be watered more frequently than the old ones.

These cacti will benefit from some good and rich fertilizer in the beginning of the growing season. The best option would be a slow-release fertilizer rich in potassium but low on nitrogen.

Since Cleistocactus Winteri is a fast grower, prepare to repot it every other year. This is the average time for a young cactus to outgrow its previous pot. Once it matures, you might not have to repot that often, but still be prepared to do it once in a couple of years. Repotting will also rejuvenate your plant since old soil gets drained of nutrients over time. Also, take the time during repotting to observe your plant and remove any dead or damaged roots.

Photo credit: Cerlin Ng