Light: Full sun to light shade; in Phoenix, provide afternoon shade, especially for young plants, and acclimate gradually to direct sun.
Water: Low water; water deeply when soil has dried completely during warm weather. Reduce watering sharply in winter and avoid watering before freezes.
Soil: Very well-drained, gritty cactus soil; use raised planting areas or containers with drainage where native soil drains poorly.
Mature size: Typically 10–15 feet tall and 4–6 feet wide with branching; may grow larger in favorable frost-free conditions. Smaller in containers.
Bloom: Large, night-opening flowers in late spring through summer on mature plants; flowering may be infrequent in containers.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen succulent with photosynthetic stems rather than persistent leaves.
Growth rate: Moderate to fast in warm weather with appropriate watering; slower in containers or very dry conditions.