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ROC #343460

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cactusArizona NativePet FriendlyPollinator Plant

Organ Pipe

Name: Organ Pipe
Brand: Outdoor Dream Builders

Stenocereus thurberi

A majestic multi-stemmed native cactus whose night-blooming flowers are pollinated by lesser long-nosed bats.

Frost sensitive, hardy to about 25-28°F, USDA 9-11; a warm low-desert Sonoran native.

AMWUA Notes

Native and extremely drought tolerant; needs no supplemental water once established.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Established plants need no irrigation; water a young transplant monthly its first summer only, keeping it dry to prevent rot.

✂️Pruning

Remove frost-damaged or broken stems, sterilizing tools between cuts.

🌱Fertilizing

Not needed.

🛡️Pests

Bacterial rot from cold, wet conditions is the main risk; pests are rare.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Frost-tender in youth; protect the tips below 28°F, and night flowers in late spring and summer feed bats.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Fast-draining decomposed granite; lean, low organic matter

💧Drainage

Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Stem cuttings (callus first) or seed

📐Spacing

8-10 ft

🌳Roots & Placement

Shallow, non-invasive roots; site the multi-stemmed mass away from walkways

Placement Tips

•Feature as a multi-stemmed specimen with room for a 10 ft spread.
•Keep away from walkways.
•Plant in fast-draining granite on a warm south or west exposure.
•Protect from cold-air pooling in low spots.

Features

Multi-stemmed columnar formNight-blooming pale pink flowersBat-pollinatedEdible fruit

Best Uses

SpecimenNatural landscapeNight garden

Ecological Value

Attracts

bats

Companion Plants

cactus

Native

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

The towering icon of the Sonoran Desert, providing critical habitat for birds and nocturnal pollinators alike.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Senita

Pachycereus schottii

A whiskered columnar cactus with an exclusive pollination partnership with the tiny senita moth.

Very Low Waterfull sun

accent

Native

Ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens

An unmistakable desert icon whose thorny canes erupt with fiery red-orange blooms that hummingbirds cannot resist.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Opuntia engelmannii

A widespread native prickly pear whose vivid magenta-pink spring flowers give way to edible purple fruit.

Very Low Waterfull sun

Quick Stats

Water NeedsVery Low (Xeric)

Sun Exposurefull sun

Mature Size10 ft H × 10 ft W

Growth Rateslow

Maintenancelow

HardinessUSDA 9-11

FoliageEvergreen

Drainagesharp, fast-draining

Bloom SeasonSpring-summer

Bloom ColorPale pink

Litter Levellow

Thornsmedium

Native RegionSonoran Desert

Design Styles

desert modernnative habitat

Include in Your Project

Love Organ Pipe? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

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Use this care guide to maintain your Organ Pipe. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.