Cereus jamacaru
Cereus mandacaru
Cereus jamacaru is a large tree-like cactus up to 10 meters high, with a short, thick, woody trunk, very much branched, the branches usually erect, numerous, often forming a compact top. When living in dense forests it has a simple stem or only a few branches, growing tall and erect, the branches have few ribs, but these are high and at first very blue, covered with formidable spines up to 20 cm long at times. The flowers are large and white, buds usually appear in the middle of spring and each flower lasts only for a night. They blossom at dusk and wither by the morning . Its fruit has a very strong violet colour. The pulp is white with tiny black seeds, and it is considered very tasty. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate and subsp. calcrupicola (F.Ritter) N.P.Taylor & Zappi. Derivation of specific name: The specific name "jamacaru", said by some writers to be the vulgar name of the plant in Brazil, is doubtless a corruption of mandacaru. Stem: Main trunk distinct, woody, up to 60 cm in diameter. Branches cylindrical, segmented, when young often quite blue, to 15 cm in diameter, with few (4 to 6) ribs; ribs of young branches thin, compressed, high, more or less undulate, to 3.5 cm high. Areoles: Large, grey, 2 to 4 cm apart, separated by notches. Spines: Various, on old stems and branches numerous, awl shaped, at first yellow or brownish, later black, often very long, 20 to 30 cm long. Central spines: 2-4, spreading, 8-20 (or more) cm long. Radial spines: 5-7, to 1.5 cm long. Flowers: Nocturnal, lateral, oblique, very large (up to 30 cm long, 18-20 cm in diameter), white; ovary purplish, bearing a few minute brown scales; stigma-lobes numerous, 2 cm long. The perianth cuts off early from the ovary, leaving the style, which is persistent. Fruit: Large, sometimes 12 cm long by 8 cm in diameter, bright red, splitting down on one side showing the white edible pulp. Seeds: 3 mm long, dull, roughened with blunt tubercles. Syn: Piptanthocereus jamacaru, Piptanthocereus cabralensis, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus calcirupicola, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus cipoensis, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus goiasensis, Cereus goiasensis
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Full sun to partial shade
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Very little water
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Not Frost hardy
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Light and free draining
Common name
Cereus mandacaru
Latin name
Cereus jamacaru
type
Succulent
family
Cactaceae
ph
5.5 - 6.5 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to partial shade
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Frost
Not Frost hardy
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Soil
Light and free draining
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Water
Very little water
Plant & bloom calendar
-
Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
0.15 M
1.00 M
Cereus jamacaru
Cereus jamacaru is a large tree-like cactus up to 10 meters high, with a short, thick, woody trunk, very much branched, the branches usually erect, numerous, often forming a compact top. When living in dense forests it has a simple stem or only a few branches, growing tall and erect, the branches have few ribs, but these are high and at first very blue, covered with formidable spines up to 20 cm long at times. The flowers are large and white, buds usually appear in the middle of spring and each flower lasts only for a night. They blossom at dusk and wither by the morning . Its fruit has a very strong violet colour. The pulp is white with tiny black seeds, and it is considered very tasty. Two subspecies are recognized, the nominate and subsp. calcrupicola (F.Ritter) N.P.Taylor & Zappi. Derivation of specific name: The specific name "jamacaru", said by some writers to be the vulgar name of the plant in Brazil, is doubtless a corruption of mandacaru. Stem: Main trunk distinct, woody, up to 60 cm in diameter. Branches cylindrical, segmented, when young often quite blue, to 15 cm in diameter, with few (4 to 6) ribs; ribs of young branches thin, compressed, high, more or less undulate, to 3.5 cm high. Areoles: Large, grey, 2 to 4 cm apart, separated by notches. Spines: Various, on old stems and branches numerous, awl shaped, at first yellow or brownish, later black, often very long, 20 to 30 cm long. Central spines: 2-4, spreading, 8-20 (or more) cm long. Radial spines: 5-7, to 1.5 cm long. Flowers: Nocturnal, lateral, oblique, very large (up to 30 cm long, 18-20 cm in diameter), white; ovary purplish, bearing a few minute brown scales; stigma-lobes numerous, 2 cm long. The perianth cuts off early from the ovary, leaving the style, which is persistent. Fruit: Large, sometimes 12 cm long by 8 cm in diameter, bright red, splitting down on one side showing the white edible pulp. Seeds: 3 mm long, dull, roughened with blunt tubercles. Syn: Piptanthocereus jamacaru, Piptanthocereus cabralensis, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus calcirupicola, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus cipoensis, Cereus calcirupicola, Piptanthocereus goiasensis, Cereus goiasensis
Planting
From Early Summer TO Late Summer
'Cereus' typically don't like direct afternoon sunlight and should be in partial shade through the hottest hours. They can take direct sunlight in the morning and afternoons. A rich, fast-draining cactus mix is ideal. To plant, do this preferably during the warm season. To repot a cacti, make sure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, making sure to remove any rotted or dead roots in the process. Treat any cuts with a fungicide. Place the plant in its new pot and backfill with potting soil, spreading the roots out as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.
Propagating by cuttings
From Late Spring TO Late Spring
'Cereus' are propagated from stem cuttings. Most cuttings require time to dry and produce a callus on the wound, this can take from a week to a day depending on size and type. Use John Innes No 1 with up to 30 percent by volume of added grit and keep the compost on the dry side to prevent the cutting rotting off. Always check what your individual specimen will require.
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