Cactaceae. Pitaya, Organpipe cactus
Stenocereus griseus
Family: Cactaceae
What it is like
Stenocereus griseus is an evergreen Tree growing to 7 m (23ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bats. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 7
Where it is found
Tropical deciduous forest and xerophyllous scrub with Prosopis.
Northern S. America - Colombia, Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
Conservation Status: Status: Least Concern
Countries/locations it is found in
Central America, Colombia, Mexico, North America, South America, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
The fruits are edible and have a good taste. A delicious flavour. The fruits are around 5cm in diameter, spiny when immature. Immature fruits have spines on them, but these are lost as the fruit ripens. The pulp has the potential to be used in the production of wine and marmalade (J. Nassar pers. comm. 2011).
Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 2
The wood is rich in potassium and is, therefore, used as a fertilizer. Fruits have an ecological role consumed by invertebrates and reptiles, birds, bats, and flightless mammals.
Fencing: Plants that can be used for fencing.
Fertilizer: Provides a concentrated solid plant food.
Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Agroforestry Services: Living fence: Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics. Plants can only tolerate the lightest of frosts. Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5. Established plants are very drought tolerant. The plant is subspontaneous and spontaneous after abandoned cultivation. Grows in huge numbers in the dryer zones of the Caribbean Rim, where plants may reach 10 m in height and grow in dense thickets. It is so common as nearly to be a weed in the desert scrub of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao of the Netherlands Antilles, where it grows both wild and cultivated. The plants are also commonly planted around homes and gardens and are tolerated on agricultural lands, meaning that plants are left when the vegetation is cleared for agriculture.
Propagating it: Seed - Cuttings
Best place to grow:
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Pitayo de mayo, Mexican organpipe cactus, Dagger cactus, Pitaya,
Synonyms
Cereus clavatus Otto & A. Dietr. Cereus deficiens Otto & A. Dietr. Cereus eburneus Salm-Dyck Cereus griseus Haw. Lemaireocereus deficiens (Otto & A. Dietr.) Britton & Rose Lemaireocereus griseus (Haw.) Britton & Rose Ritterocereus deficiens (Otto & A. Dietr.) Backeb. Ritterocereus griseus (Haw.) Backeb. Stenocereus deficiens (Otto & A. Dietr.) Buxb.