Pronounciation: Stet-SON-e-a co-RYE-ne

Hardiness zones
Sunset 12, 13 and 17-24 (with soil dryness)
USDA 9-11

Landscape Use: Specimen focal point, xeriscape, large scale desert gardens with ample space to accomodate its ultimate size.

Form & Character: Columnar cactus, upright and arborescent, stiff and very imposing, dangerous, well armed, arid desert.

Growth Habit: Evergreen succulent, slow to 25 feet with near equal spread, strongly branching, often shorter in Phoenix.

Foliage/Texture: Stems to 8-inches thick, ribs 8 to 9, areoles white, 6 spines per areole, needle shaped, white with browing tips, the longest central spine can be up to 4-inches long; coarse texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Nocturnal lasting through the next day, white with a faint purplish tinge to 3 inches wide resting on a short peduncle, flowers attract bees, fruit globose, red with red flesh to 3-inches diameter.

Seasonal Color: Flowers in spring after many years; subsequent fruit thereafter during late spring to early summer.

Temperature: Toothpick cactus is generally tolerant of temperature ranges in Phoeinx if given protection from hot summer western sun.

Light: Performs best with some partial light shade of desert trees to protect from hot summer western sun. Specimens in full sun without western sun protection can have a yellowed stem appearance.

Soil: Well drained

Watering: Little to none.

Pruning: None

Propagation: Seed, stem cuttings (4 inches to 6 feet in length) planted directly into the ground 2 to 4 months after removal from mother plant.

Disease and Pests: Root rot if soil is poorly drained.

Additional comments: This is a visually and physically imposing columnar cactus that should be used singly as a accent speciment. The variant forma cristata is crested.

Taxonomic tidit: The species name coryne is derived from the Greek word for 'club'.....and man, I'd hate to get clubbed with that stem!!!