Cereus repandus (syn. Cereus peruvianus), the Peruvian apple cactus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America. It is also known as giant club cactus, hedge cactus, cadushi (in Papiamento and Wayuunaiki[2]), and kayush. Cereus repandus is grown mostly as an ornamental plant, but has some local culinary importance.With an often tree-like appearance, its cylindrical gray-green to blue stems can reach 10 metres (33 feet) in height and 1020 cm in diameter as a self-supporting plant The large, cream-colored, nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night and are of vital importance to pollinating bats. The fruits,...
Cereus repandus (syn. Cereus peruvianus), the Peruvian apple cactus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America. It is also known as giant club cactus, hedge cactus, cadushi (in Papiamento and Wayuunaiki[2]), and kayush.
Cereus repandus is grown mostly as an ornamental plant, but has some local culinary importance. With an often tree-like appearance, its cylindrical gray-green to blue stems can reach 10 metres (33 feet) in height and 1020 cm in diameter as a self-supporting plant The large, cream-colored, nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night and are of vital importance to pollinating bats. The fruits, known locally as pitaya, olala (only in some parts of Bolivia) or Peruvian apple, are thornless and vary in skin colour from violet-red to yellow. The edible flesh is white and contains small, edible, crunchy seeds. The flesh sweetens as the fruit opens out fully. As the cactus grows in arid regions and fruits in the dry seasons, the fruit is an essential source of food for birds in its native range.
