General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 4 - 15 feet
Plant Spread: 4 - 15 feet
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Other: 1/2 to 1/4 inch purplish-blue berries.
Fruiting Time: Late spring or early summer
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Flower Color: Green
Other: Greenish-white
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Houseplant
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Image
Common names
  • Garambullo
  • Whortleberry Cactus
  • Crested Blue Flame
  • Crested Blue Candle
  • Dinosaur Back Plant
  • Crested Blue Myrtle

Photo Gallery
Location: Baja California
Date: 2011-01-19

Date: 2022-11-07
Location: Central Texas
Date: 2018-07-10
Location: Baja California
Date: 2020-09-21
Only crested on one side (stem is about 80% normal)
Location: Salem OR
Date: 2020-03-02
Two crested myrtillocactus. One with color and one without.
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Baja_Costero (Baja California - Zone 11b) on Oct 4, 2020 1:08 PM concerning plant:
    This crested form of a large tree cactus can reach pretty good proportions in a container (a couple feet tall in a 12 inch pot) and will grow a few feet tall in the ground. Like the parent, it has glaucous blue-green stems with sharp spines. There is more than one version of this mutation and some may be more stable than others (which may revert to partly or fully normal stems). Remove normal growth to favor the slower crested parts. This plant is sometimes found grafted but I don't think there's any particular advantage, given it roots fast and grows perfectly fine on its own roots. It will be limited by container size, and growers put it in the ground to avoid this effect. Provide strong light for best color and form.

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