Althea x TPM – Trichocereus peruvianus x TPM – Seedlings

Overview

Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Althea’ x Trichocereus pachanoi monstrose (TPM) brings together Althea’s blue Peruvian Torch background and a pachanoi monstrose parent, with plenty of room for individual character.

This is a seed-grown cross, so there is no single finished look. The listing includes seedlings with conventional early growth alongside plants already showing crested or monstrose expression. Some are keeping things fairly orderly; others have started making their own rules.

Choose a numbered plant for the individual pictured, or one of the Tricho Choice options described below.

Genetics & Parentage

Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Althea’

Althea is a named peruvianus clone associated with US grower GeeBee, admired for its glaucous blue colouring and substantial growth. Its spination can vary with growing conditions, so the short-spined appearance often associated with Althea should not be treated as a fixed feature of every plant.

Althea provides one side of this cross. Its offspring may inherit aspects of that colour and structure, but they will each develop their own combination of traits.

Trichocereus pachanoi monstrose (TPM)

TPM here refers to Trichocereus pachanoi monstrose. This parent brings the possibility of irregular growth, including disrupted ribs, swollen sections and crested or otherwise distorted forms.

Monstrose parentage does not guarantee a particular expression in every seedling. A plant’s current appearance is the best guide to what you are buying; its future shape remains part of the growing experience.

Parent Clone & Seedling Background

Our Althea clone listing records its introduction to the community through GeeBee and its Matucana, Peru background. GeeBee’s Garden also lists Althea among its peruvianus clones.

The plants offered here are seedlings from Althea x TPM, each with its own genetic identity. They are not cuttings of the original Althea clone, and the parent’s mature appearance is background information rather than a promise of how these hybrids will look.

Growth Form & What to Expect

• Form: Variable between seedlings, from conventional columnar growth to crested or monstrose expression.
• Colour: Individual colouring will develop with age and growing conditions; Althea parentage does not guarantee a particular shade of blue.
• Spines: Length and arrangement vary between individuals.
• Development: New growth may become more or less irregular over time. Normally growing seedlings may remain conventional.
• Size and condition: Check the selected option’s description and photographs for the plant being offered.

Choosing Your Seedling

• Numbered options: Choose the exact plant shown for that number. Its individual description gives the recorded size.
• Tricho Choice: We choose the seedling for you at the reduced price, with no individual plant requests. These seedlings currently show normal initial growth; future mutation is not guaranteed.
• Tricho Choice – Freak: We choose a seedling already showing crested or monstrose growth. Selection is random within that group. If you want a particular pictured plant, contact us about a separate private listing, as explained in the option description.

Grower Notes

Give these seedlings bright light, good airflow and a free-draining cactus substrate. Introduce stronger sun gradually, especially when moving young plants into a greenhouse.

Water during active growth when the substrate has dried sufficiently, then let excess water drain away. Reduce watering as temperatures and growth fall, and protect young plants from frost and prolonged winter damp. Crested folds can hold moisture, so avoid leaving water sitting around congested growing points.

For more detail, see our Trichocereus care sheet.

Why This Cross Stands Out

• Althea’s peruvianus background paired with pachanoi monstrose genetics.
• Individual seed-grown plants with a range of growth forms.
• A choice between specific numbered specimens and grower-selected seedlings.
• An option for plants already displaying the unusual growth that TPM collectors enjoy.

Important Notes

Photographs show current growth, not a guaranteed mature form. Even a seedling already showing mutation may produce more regular sections later. Choose according to the plant or selection category offered today, and enjoy seeing how it develops.