Mexican fence post cactus
Pachycereus marginatus (DC.) Britton & Rose
Synonyms: Stenocereus marginatus, Marginatocereus marginatus.
Upright, ribbed columnar cactus that branches from the base. Planted in rows as a living fence or as vertical accents.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 2.4–4.5 m (8–15 ft) tall and 0.6–1.2 m (2–4 ft) wide; medium growth, about 15 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #5 install size.
Design notes
- Tip damage below about −3 °C; cover tops on freeze nights.
- Short white spines along the ribs — less hazardous than most cacti.
Regions
Native range: Central and southern Mexico.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Mexican fence post cactus
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.