Cleistocactus strausii
Silver Torch cactus can thrive in low-nitrogen soil without facing the consequences of low nitrogen. Too much water will make the plant weak and lead to root rot. 
Least Concern. This cactus is locally abundant in its native land and has few local threats to its survival.
This cactus can be propagated by cuttings or seed.
2011–2017 California drought
By February 1, 2014, Felicia Marcus, the chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board, claimed the 2014 drought "is the most serious drought we've faced in modern times." Marcus argues that California needs to "conserve what little we have to use later in the year, or even in future years." A 16-year study of how precipitation affects groundwater-dependent vegetation was conducted and the results showed that the alkali meadow vegetation plant community is groundwater dependent and that this characteristic buffers the system from the effects of drought. This means that certain plants are actually able to help prevent droughts, but can only do so if groundwater is maintained at a certain level. One of the reasons that the study was conducted was to ascertain whether the Owens Valley region of California could handle any practiced or proposed groundwater extraction.