Plant Care Monkey Tail Cactus

Monkey Tail Cactus

5.0 out of 5 (2 experiences)

Monkey Tail Cactus has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Monkey Tail Cactus has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

Taxonomy

Cleistocactus winteri subsp. colademono
Cleistocactus
Cactaceae
Caryophyllales

How to care for Monkey Tail Cactus

💦 Water

How often to water your Monkey Tail Cactus

Water needs for Monkey Tail Cactus
0.5 cups
every 12

Monkey Tail Cactus needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Monkey Tail Cactus

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Monkey Tail Cactus in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Monkey Tail Cactus: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Monkey Tail Cactus love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Monkey Tail Cactus does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Monkey Tail Cactus in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Monkey Tail Cactus

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Monkey Tail Cactus: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Monkey Tail Cactus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #MonkeyTailCactus
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level
💦 Water Needs

Monkey Tail Cactus thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Monkey Tail Cactus Water Frequency →

Monkey Tail Cactus Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Monkey Tail Cactus requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Monkey Tail Cactus Light Requirements →

Monkey Tail Cactus Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Monkey Tail Cactus is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


💨 Humidity

Monkey Tail Cactus enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Monkey Tail Cactus Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Monkey Tail Cactus is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Monkey Tail Cactus →

Best Pots for Monkey Tail Cactus →

When and How to Successfully Repot Monkey Tail Cactus →

What Are Healthy Monkey Tail Cactus Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Monkey Tail Cactus grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Monkey Tail Cactus →


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Monkey Tail Cactus grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Monkey Tail Cactus Lifecycle →

Monkey Tail Cactus Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Monkey Tail Cactus →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Monkey Tail Cactus can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Monkey Tail Cactus →


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


😖 Common Issues

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Monkey Tail Cactus. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


Care Summary for Monkey Tail Cactus

Monkey Tail Cactus

Monkey Tail Cactus


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Monkey Tail Cactus has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 2
Monkey Tail Cactus has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 2
Monkey Tail Cactus has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 1
Monkey Tail Cactus has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 1
Kailina avatar
@Kailina
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 67 XP
globe Gresham, OR
05/01/2021

Needs a lot of sun but survives without it, I’m a college student in a top floor north facing apartment and I genuinely don’t think it’s gotten solid sun in months. It grew tall and skinny but it also grew several new off shoots and has been super easy to take care of!

Survivor Survivor
Fast grower Fast grower

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