Cactus
Peruvian Apple Cactus
Cereus repandus · Cactaceae
Also called: Hedge Cactus, Giant Club Cactus, Cadushi, Cereus peruvianus (former name)
Peruvian Apple Cactus (Cereus repandus) is a low-water cactus well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun in Tucson.
Peruvian Apple Cactus at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun in Tucson; thrives in heat and reflected sun, though young plants benefit from a little afternoon shade until established.
- Mature size
- Large columnar/tree-like to 10-30 ft tall, branching into multiple bluish-green stems; can form a substantial specimen or hedge.
- Growth rate
- Fast (for a cactus)
- Bloom
- Large white nocturnal flowers (pink-tinged outer petals), opening at night and closing by midday., Late spring through summer; flowers are followed by edible reddish 'Peruvian apple' fruit with sweet white pulp.
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 20-25 F; mature plants tolerate normal Tucson winters but stem tips and young plants can be frost-damaged in hard freezes - protect young specimens during severe cold snaps (USDA 9a-9b).
- Soil
- Well-draining sandy or gravelly soil; tolerates poor, rocky, alkaline Tucson soils. Avoid waterlogged sites.
- Native range
- Native to South America (Caribbean coast: Venezuela, Colombia, and the ABC islands); not native to the Sonoran Desert but well adapted to Tucson.
- Best used as
- Bold vertical/architectural accent, Living fence or hedge, Edible fruit, Drought-tolerant landscape specimen, Screening
- Wildlife
- Night-blooming flowers attract moths and bats; birds and other wildlife eat the fruit. Often used as a living fence.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; the fruit is edible to people and wildlife. Spines are the only hazard.
How to grow Peruvian Apple Cactus in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Very drought-tolerant once established. Water deeply about every 2-3 weeks in the hottest months to speed growth, less in spring/fall, and withhold in winter. It tolerates more water than most cacti but still requires sharp drainage.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Feed once or twice in spring/summer with a balanced, lower-nitrogen cactus fertilizer to support fast columnar growth; not needed in winter.
Pruning & care
Remove damaged or frost-bitten tips and limbs as needed; can be cut back to control height, and cut sections root readily. Wear gloves - spines are stout.
Notes
Accepted name is Cereus repandus; long sold as 'Cereus peruvianus.' A fast, easy, large columnar cactus for Tucson with edible fruit. Give it room - it gets big and heavy. The cv. 'Monstrose'/'Spiralis' forms are also common.
Sources: Wikipedia - Cereus repandus (accepted name; synonyms); World of Succulents - Cereus repandus (Peruvian Apple Cactus); PFAF Plant Database - Cereus repandus