Old man's head cactus: How to care for this special hairy cactus species

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This houseplant not only needs to be watered, but also coiffed! But otherwise, the decorative old man's head cactus, which originates from Mexico, is quite easy to care for.

Better not to pet: the old man's head looks fluffy but has spines. Sergi Escribano / Getty Images

The old man's head cactus has white hairs in addition to its spines. They grow most luxuriantly when the desert plant is given plenty of sun.

Most cacti have spines - the old man's head, also called Viejito cactus, has even more to offer: It is also characterized by fine, white or grayish hairs. This slow-growing species, native to Mexico, looks even more decorative when covered with small yellow, red or white flowers in spring and early summer (but unfortunately this is usually only seen on older specimens outdoors).

What is an old man's head?

Cephalocereus senilis, better known as old man's head, is a desert cactus native to Mexico and very common in the states of Querétaro and Hidalgo. It is characterized by fine white or grayish hairs that the columnar plant develops in addition to its typical cactus spines to protect itself from cold and heat.

This species, of which there are variants such as Cephalocereus columna-trajani, Cephalocereus totolapensis or Cephalocereus nizandensis, usually has yellow, red or white flowers that open at night. If it is cultivated as a pot plant, the old man's head unfortunately blooms only rarely - but its fuzzy hairy splendor is so decorative in itself that it is also such an eye-catcher at home on the windowsill.

How long does the old man's head live and how fast (or slow) does it grow?

One of the characteristics of this species is its longevity. Under the right conditions, it can live hundreds or even thousands of years in its native habitat and grow up to 15 feet tall. But don't worry: this cactus grows slowly and rarely gets taller than 70 centimeters in a pot.