Isolatocereus dumortieri is endemic to Mexico, where it is widely distributed. It occurs in the states of Aguascalientes, Federal District, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Veracruz. Isolatocereus dumortieri is a large candelabra-like cactus, often tree-like, 6 to 15 meters high, with a well-defined woody trunk, more than one metre long, and 30 cm in diameter and has multiple branches. The branches are erect almost from the first, with numerous constrictions, very pale bluish green or somewhat glaucous. Isolatocereus dumortieri was also known as Cereus, Lemaireocereus, Stenocereus and Rathbunia in prior lives. It was common a few years ago as Lemaireocereus dumortieri. It possesses several unique morphological features such as the small, nearly contiguous areoles, as well as its short, nearly tubular nocturnal flowers and spineless fruit, but the scales of the ovary sometimes subtend bristles, if not spines, in their axils. Greenhouse plants much resemble Pachycereus marginatus, and both species have small flowers; but the wild plants are very unlike and the fruit and seeds differ widely. Mature specimens superficially resemble Pachycereus weberi.
Common Name: Candelabra cactus
Stem: Trunk proper short, 6 to 10 dm long, 3 dm in diameter or more, woody. Branches many, erect almost from the first and curved inward slightly, with numerous constrictions, very pale bluish green or somewhat glaucous.
Ribs:** Generally 6, sometimes or 5 or 7, occasionally up to 9 on very old joints, triangular, with straight margins, obtuse, to 2 cm high.
Areoles: Elliptic, approximate or often confluent with age, grey-felted.
Spines: Various in number and in length, of which 6-9 (or more) radials to 1 cm, and 1-4 central, the longer ones often 5 cm long, all at first yellowish or straw-colored but in age blackened.
Flowers: Arising from apical areoles that flower more than once, sometimes forming a
crown, open during the night but lasting until midday, odorless, tubular to funnelform, short, pale green to white, to 5 cm long, the tube and ovary bearing small ovate scales with bunches of felt and occasionally bristles in their axils, the limb about 2.5 cm broad.
Fruit: Oblong, small, 2.5 to 4 cm long, reddish-orange within, not spiny, its areoles nearly contiguous, felted and dehiscent when mature.
Seeds: Brownish, mm long, dull, roughened.
Phenology:*** The reproductive period of I. dumortieri begins during the dry season in January and ends when the last fruits drop in July.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
| Blooming Season | Spring |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Candelabra cactus |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower | Pale green |
| Frost Tolerance | -4°c |
| Growth Rate | - |
| Hardiness Zone | 9b |
| Height | 6 to 10 |
| Origin | Mexico |
| Pot Size | 2 inch |
| Scientific Name | 2 inch Isolatocereus Dumortieri |
| Shape | candelabra-like cactus |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |