Origin and Habitat: Garden origin (Nursery produced cultivar)

• Echinopsis cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus
• Echinopsis santiaguensis f. monstruosa cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus
• Trichocereus cv. Cactus Peperone
• Trichocereus santiaguensis f. monstruosa

• Echinopsis cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus
• Echinopsis santiaguensis f. monstruosa cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus
• Trichocereus cv. Cactus Peperone
• Trichocereus santiaguensis f. monstruosa
• Echinopsis cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus f. cristata
• Echinopsis santiaguensis f. monstruosa cristata cv. Green Pepperoni Cactus
• Trichocereus cv. Cactus Peperone f. cristata
• Trichocereus santiaguensis f. monstruosa cristata

Description: The standard Trichocereus santiagoensis (= Trichocereus spachianus a.k.a. Golden Torch Cactus) is a multi-stemmed columnar cactus that can easily grows up to 2 m tall. The monstrous form here described is a quite different spineless clustering cactus with erect growth habit that branches at the base and can slowly grow up to 30(-60) cm tall.
Stem: Composed by upright sections that branches avidly up to 10-20 (-35) cm tall by 5-10 cm in diameter, brigth-green, with only a few areoles and spines in the basal portion. The upper part of the stem is cylindrical, smooth without areoles and resemble a green pepperoni. The lower part is spiny.
Spines: Honey-coloured to brown, located on the few basal nodes in groups of up to 4. They can grow up to 4–7 mm long.
Flowers: Not known..

Cultivation and Propagation: It is very easy to grow and cold hardy as low as -12°C (or less). Need a fertile, well drained soil mix. Water the plants well and allow them to dry before watering again. This cultivar seems to do better with a little more water than most cacti. In fact, its cultivation requirements are really more like 'normal' plants than most other cacti. During the growing season fertilize them monthly with a balanced fertilizer
Sun Exposure: Outside full sun, but during hot summers, the cactus are subject to sun burning, so grow them in light shade, inside needs bright light, and some direct sun.. During winter month, put them in a cool luminous place and encourage them to enter winter dormancy by withholding water and fertiliser over the winter as they will etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light. They are susceptible to fungal diseases if overwatered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather. They tend characteristically towards black rotted spots unless watering is moderate and only in hot weather, if kept damp through cold periods, they will invariably suffer.
Propagation: It can easily be multiplied from cutting. Single sections are taken off, dried and rooted.