Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica aka Cane Cactus

Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica is a spiny cactus. It belongs to the cactus family, Cactaceae. Its native range spans central Colombia, Ecuador, and northwestern Peru. Kew calls it a succulent shrub from subtropical regions. It grows in shrublands at 4,920–11,480 feet [1,500–3,500 metres]. Opuntia cylindrica is another name for the same species. Plants grow both in the wild and in gardens.

This evergreen cactus can form a shrub or small tree. Its branches may grow close together or far apart. A clear woody trunk holds the jointed stems above it. One source gives a height of 11.5 feet [3.5 metres]. Its full account says plants reach 13 feet [4 metres] or more. The sources do not give a usual garden height. New stem sections grow from the sides of older shoots. Each section has diamond-shaped bumps, called tubercles, in a spiral. Sections reach about 0.82 feet [0.25 metres] long, and sometimes more. Their width ranges from 0.10–0.20 feet [0.03–0.06 metres].

People grow this cactus as a live fence along boundaries. They plant it on walls and beside fields or orchards. Its spines help keep grazing animals away from crops. These uses show its role as a planted barrier. The sources give no firm guide to garden care. They do not state its light, soil, or water needs. Nor do they say how much frost it can bear. Seeds have a thick coat called an aril. Ferns suggests few seeds may sprout under normal conditions.

Local people gather wild plants for use in traditional medicine. They crush the inner tissue and use its juice for swollen feet. They also steep flowers or plant parts to treat coughs. These uses reflect local practice, not proof that treatments work. The source lists no known food uses for this species. It gives no flower colour or time of bloom. It says nothing about fruit traits, specific pests, or diseases.

Tiny spines with barbs, called glochids, pose a clear risk when handled. Touch can free them, so they can lodge in skin. Their barbs make them hard to find and remove. They can cause marked skin irritation and pain. This risk of harm does not prove the plant contains poisons. Ferns reports a 2017 assessment that classed it as Near Threatened. Cattle ranching and urban growth threaten its limited habitat.