Peruvian apple cactus
Cereus repandus

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

Cereus repandus is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Often grows in thickets, sometimes forming the dominant feature of the landscape.

Northern S. America - Venezuela; Caribbean - Grenada, Netherlands Antilles.

Conservation Status: Status: Least Concern

Countries/locations it is found in

Caribbean, Colombia, Guianas, Netherlands Antilles, South America, Venezuela

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw. The white flesh has a mild, sweet flavour. The fruits often split open whilst still on the plant. The dark red (occasionally white), oblong fruit is 3 - 4cm long.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 1

Good in pots. Cereus repandus is an unresearched, under-utilized cactus, grown mostly as an ornamental plant.

Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.

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.

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.

Hedge: Hedge

How it is grown

A plant of drier areas in the tropics. It will stand very high temperatures, but is not too frost hardy - probably able to survive a few degrees of frost. Prefers a position in full sun and a well-drained soil. Prefers a pH lower than 6. Supported by a scaffold, C. repandus has grown to a height of 110 feet (34 meters) technically making this the tallest cactus plant in the world, although no cactus under natural conditions exceeds eighty-two feet (25 meters) in height in the case of C. stenogonus. The large, cream-colored, nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night.

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 9-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, Apple Cactus, Peruvian Apple Cactus, Peruvian Apple, Peruvian Tree Cactus

Synonyms

Cactus repandus L.