Origin and Habitat: Garden origin.

Cultivation and Propagation: It is a vigorous and easy to grow plant, and requires, strong sunlight or half shade, but not high temperatures. Water generously during the summer, but allow to dry fully before watering again. During the winter months plants should be rather kept dry. In cultivation, watering too much in winter often leads to root rot. It can withstand hard frosts down to 14°F (-10°C), but the tips might get damaged below 23°F (-5°C). Since they are rapid growers it needs plenty of space for its roots. Repotting should be done every other year, or when the plant has outgrown its pot, and give an occasional high potassium liquid feed. Its silvery spined stems branch from the base and then grow straight upwards towards the greenhouse roof, making a pleasant backdrop for the more numerous globular cacti.
Propagation: It is propagated usually by grafting or sometime by cuttings, but the cuttings will generally not root. If you remove an offset, remember to let it dry for a week or so, letting the wound heal (cuttings planted to soon easily rot before they can grow roots). Rooting usually occurs within 3-8 weeks.