Ben Costamagna · CC BY 4.0Chaco cacti: candelabra and cardón
Cereus stenogonus, Stetsonia coryne y otras Cactaceae
Spiny columns that trace the Dry Chaco skyline and feed its wildlife.
What it is
In the Dry Chaco, cacti are part of the forest: the candelabra cactus raises arms several meters tall, the cardón forms thick columns, and smaller cacti carpet the ground among spiny bromeliads. Their large flowers, many of which open at night, attract bats and moths. Their fleshy fruits feed birds, foxes and the taguá, which also eats their stems.
Did you know…?
The taguá is a cactus specialist: it rolls them along with its snout to strip the spines before eating them.
Season
They bloom mainly in spring and summer, with the rains. The flowers of many species open at night and don't last long.
Where
The Dry Chaco: Teniente Enciso, Defensores del Chaco, Médanos and the scrubland around Mariscal Estigarribia.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 5 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.