Apple Cactus (Giant-Club, Peru Cereus, or Peruvian Apple)
Cereus peruvianus (formerly Cereus uruguayanus). CACTACEAE.
Planting and Growing Apple Cactus
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow apple cactus, giant-club, Peru cereus, or Peruvian apple in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and fruit of apple cactus
- Growing conditions for apple cactus
- When and where to plant apple cactus
- How to plant apple cactus
- How to prune and control growth of apple cactus
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of apple cactus
- Landscape uses of apple cactus
- Pest and disease control for apple cactus
Growing Apple Cactus
A few cultivars of slow-growing, long-lived, branching and shrubby or treelike, irregularly ribbed cacti, to 10 ft. (3 m) tall and 15 ft. (4.5 m) wide, armed with needlelike spines in radiating clusters, 3/4–2 in. (19–50 mm) long.
Apple Cactus Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Showy, white, tubular, flared flowers, to 6 in. (15 cm) long and 4–5 in. (10–13 cm) wide, opening at night, in late spring–early summer, form broadly oval, pink becoming red, applelike fruit in summer.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 8–11. Tender. Best in arid, mild-winter climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Damp to dry, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Average. 7.0–8.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full to filtered sun. Space 7–10 ft. (2.2–3 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Water deeply; allow soil to dry completely between waterings. Drought tolerant. Fertilize annually in summer. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, barriers, containers, fencelines in arid gardens and landscapes. Pest and disease resistant.
Warning:
Spines can be hazardous; avoid planting in gardens frequented by pets and children.