In a book I saw a picture and description of the creeping devil, stenocereus eruca.
It's a funky looking plant.

Here is a pic I took of one in the Adelaide Botanical Gardens.



Excuse the black bit that was me getting rid of someone's shoes..... lol



A closer view

i haven't really looked into it but i have an impression this plant is pretty rare in cultivation in Aus, but i may be wrong.

i have seen a few specimens of this plant used at an under cover in ground c+s display at a well-known Victorian nursery, but not for sale. it grows horizontally along the ground and looks rather like a snake, like in Betty's pic, very interesting. pretty unique cactus.
i think the greatest problem you are going to have is finding one to buy in the first place.
you might have to visit the Adelaide Botanical gardens and beg the staff there for a cutting.

Sounds too hard but It'll burn into my subconscious and I'll keep an eye out for one...

Please observe the forum rules: http://forum.auscactiforum.net/australian-cacti-forum-f2/forum-rules-please-read-t153.htm

Thanks.

I read that link before I posted. I think I'm on the right side of it.
Apologies if I've strayed.

1.The discussion of cactus alkaloids will not be tolerated

This pertains to any discussion of cactus alkaloids.

While browsing for some information on this weird cactus I have come across your forum, and got impressed that Creeping Devil is known on the other side of the Pacific.
My primary residence is in Carefree, Arizona (Phoenix area, suburb of Scottsdale), famous for its lush Sonora Desert, home to variety of plants, in particular cactus. I have few of those Creeping Devils in my back yard.
I bought them in our PHX Desert Botanical Garden, had them first in the pots and then I created a bit of rolling hills and planted The Devils outside. They grow very fast for cactus, about 3-4 inches per year.
This plant is native to Baja California, Mexico, and since I was born and raised in California USA, we used to go down to Baja, south of the border, to ride our off-road motorcycles (well, when it was safe from their drug trafficing related violence) . It is very impressive to see fields of these plants out in the wild.
There are places here in USA where the plant grows very well, such as Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino/ Pasadena (LA area), CA, and in Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum collection. Sorry, I guess I am not allowed to post the links but if you want you can browse for it.

I have no idea what sorts of regulations on importing plants take place in Australia, so I will refrain from giving my two-cents contributions into that, but it sounds like there is quite similarity in climate and soil structures between Australian and Southwestern USA deserts. I have a few drought resistant plants in my yard, native to Australia, they are doing very well.


By the way, please forgive me my incompetence: I saw a warning about intolerance to cactus alkaloids in this thread, but... what is it? Is it something bad? Plant chemistry? In a few words? I have lived all my life surrounded by all sorts of cactus here in Arizona and in Southern California but I am not aware of such term at all.

Hi AZMotoBrat and welcome,

Please introduce yourself in the new member introductions thread, we would love to get to know you.

Posting links is fine so long as you don't break any of the rules in doing so.

Cactus alkaloids refers to cacti that contain the illegal drug mescaline (if you wish to know more do a google search, we do not discuss this issue on the forum for obvious legal reasons).

As for importation to Australia, live plants are extremely difficult whilst seeds are generally ok.

I dont personally know a great deal about this plant but think it is fascinating.

Hope this helps a little.
HN

All I know about it is that it seems to be a viable one here downunder, atleast in the Sydney area that is as Hamilton's have several of them growing outdoors in their display garden and they seem to be doing well.
One of these day's I'm going to ask and see if I can get a cutting from them as I love the spiny ones!