L. principis is one of the most distinctive, and fascinating cacti with long glaucous-green tubercles, tipped by equally long papery spines, it is unlike anything else. It is slow-growing and has a tuberous root.

Family: Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Scientific name:  Leuchtenbergia principis W. J. Hooker 1848

Common name: Agave Cactus

Origin: North-central Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua) Although occurring over a rather large area, these cacti are sparsely scattered and can be difficult to localize.

L. principis is one of the most distinctive, and fascinating cacti.
 With its long glaucous-green tubercles, tipped by equally long papery spines, it is unlike anything else.
It is slow-growing and has a large, tuberous taproot. Older plant forms a short cylindrical shaped stem.

Description: Solitary, or slowly offsetting it is very slow-growing but can eventually grow up to 70 cm high, with a cylindrical stem which becomes bare and corky at the base with age. It has long, slender, bluish -green triangular tubercles 6-15 cm long, with purplish-red blotches at their tips. The axils are woolly, the areoles is at the tip of the tubercle; The tubercles are topped with papery spines, making the plant resemble an agave; central spines1-2, up to 4 10 cm long ; radials 8 to 14, up to 5 cm long; old, basal tubercles dry up and fall off.
Flowers arise from the areole at the tip of the tubercles on mature plant (at least 4-5 years old) they are large, funnel-shaped, fragrant, yellow, 5-10 cm wide. They are followed by green smooth fruit. When ripe the bottom of the fruit open and release several hundred large seeds.
Leuchtenbergia (like the Astrophytums) flowers intermittently throughout the warm months from spring to autumn.

Photo and © copyright by Andrea B. (Bologna, Italy)

Cultivation: It grow easily from seed in cultivation. Despite being revered by many collectors, they are not too difficult. The Leuchtenbergia has a strong tap root and should have a deep pot to accommodate it. Water carefully, lack of water will make the tip of the tubercles yellow. Too much water will make it rot. Keep dry at minimum temperature of 5° C in winter although will tolerate brief periods to -8 degrees. Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade.

Propagation: Seeds.