Plant
Stenocereus griseus
Stenocereus griseusAlso known as Mexican Organ Pipe, Dagger Cactus, Pitaya, Pitayo De Mayo
Mexican organ pipe cacti form dense, candelabra-like thickets across arid landscapes, sending up dozens of ribbed, blue-green columns from a single branching trunk. White, nocturnal flowers open for a single night, welcoming nectar-feeding bats and moths before giving way to spherical, spine-covered fruits. These towering succulents serve as critical keystone structures in dry habitats, providing moisture, nesting cavities, and perches for desert fauna.
SucculentNocturnal BloomsArid
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
- Long-nosed bats (fruit)
- Desert woodrats (seeds)
- Cactus longhorn beetles
ThreatsHabitat clearance for agriculture, urbanization, and excessive wild harvesting
HabitatsArid scrublands, thorn forests, and rocky desert hillsides
Life span50–100+ years
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyCactaceae
- GenusStenocereus
- SpeciesStenocereus griseus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild fruits have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild cactus fruit based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Watch the spines: Maintain a distance of at least a meter to avoid sharp, rigid radial spines.
- Night viewing: Check mature crowns after dark in late spring to spot nocturnal blossoms and pollinators.
Pollinator Joelr31~commonswiki (talk · contribs) / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative The original uploader was Pretzelpaws at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family WClarke / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Stephen Marlett, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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