How to prune espostoa lanata

Only if dead or rotten tissue appears — treat promptly at any time of year. Use a sterile knife to remove any rotting basal tissue, cutting back to clean flesh. Dust with sulphur or cinnamon. Keep the woolly pseudocephalium dry and free of water splash.

Rarely — no routine pruning required. Espostoa lanata, the Peruvian old man cactus, needs no pruning. Its columnar form covered in soft white hair-like spines is entirely natural and should not be cut. Remove dead basal pads or brown tissue with a sterile blade only if decay is present. Never shorten the column.

Use a sterile knife to remove any rotting basal tissue, cutting back to clean flesh. Dust with sulphur or cinnamon. Keep the woolly pseudocephalium dry and free of water splash.