Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Column Cactus, Hedge Cactus, Cereus repandus

Description:

An erect, thorny columnar cactus with cylindrical gray-green to blue stems; large, cream colored nocturnal flowers open for only one night; edible, violet-red to yellow fruits appear in spring; an outstanding vertical accent for bright indoor areas

Features & Attributes

Peruvian Apple Cactus is a succulent evergreen plant. It is a member of the cactus family, which are grown primarily for their characteristic shapes, their interesting features and textures, and their high tolerance for hot, dry growing environments. Like all cacti, it doesn't actually have leaves, but rather modified succulent stems that comprise the bulk of the plant, and which are designed to hold water for long periods of time. This particular cactus is valued for its rigidly upright and cylindrical habit of growth which can occur as either a single spiny ribbed bluish-green stem or grow as a cluster of such stems that spread out from a central base. This plant has creamy white daisy flowers with buttery yellow eyes and pink bracts along the branches from early to late winter, which are interesting on close inspection.

Planting & Growing

When grown indoors, Peruvian Apple Cactus can be expected to grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 80 years. This houseplant will do well in a location that gets either direct or indirect sunlight, although it will usually require a more brightly-lit environment than what artificial indoor lighting alone can provide. This is a unique plant in that it requires extremely dry, well-drained soil, and it will die if left in standing water for any length of time - in fact it will suffer if it is over-watered. The soil should be allowed to go completely dry to the touch an inch or two deep for prolonged periods, and it may only need watering once every few weeks. Be aware that your particular watering schedule may vary depending on its location in the room, the pot size, plant size and other conditions; if in doubt, ask one of our experts in the store for advice. Like most succulents and cacti, it prefers to grow in poor soils and should therefore never be fertilized. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soil. Contact the store for specific recommendations on pre-mixed potting soil for this plant.

There are many factors that will affect the ultimate height, spread and overall performance of a plant when grown indoors; among them, the size of the pot it's growing in, the amount of light it receives, the watering frequency and repotting schedule. Use the information described here as a guideline only; individual performance can and will vary. Please contact the store to speak with one of our experts if you are interested in further details concerning recommendations on pot size, watering, pruning, repotting, etc.

-- THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT AND IS NOT MEANT TO SURVIVE THE WINTER OUTDOORS IN OUR CLIMATE --