Cereus repandus

Peruvian Apple Cactus
Drawing of flowering stem
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Cactaceae
Subfamily:	Cactoideae
Tribe:	Cereeae
Genus:	Cereus
Species:	C. repandus
Binomial name
Cereus repandus Haw.
Synonyms
Cereus peruvianus

Cereus Peruvianus small cuttings

The Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America. It is also known as Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, cadushi, (in Wayuunaiki) kayush or, because of its phallic shape, the Dildo Tree.

With an often tree-like appearance, the Peruvian Apple Cactus' cylindrical gray-green to blue stems can reach 10 meters (33 ft) in height and 10-20 cm in diameter. The nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night. The fruits, known locally as "pitaya" or Peruvian Apple, are thornless and vary in skin color 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.

Cereus repandus is an unresearched, under-utilized cactus, grown mostly as an ornamental plant. As noted above, it has some local culinary importance. The Wayuu from the La Guajira Peninsula of Colombia and Venezuela use the inner cane-like wood of kayush in wattle and daub construction.

Cereus Peruvianus seedling progression

Cereus Peruvianus cutting

Cereus Peruvianus var Monstrose large and dwarf varieties

References

• Anderson, Edward F. (2001): The Cactus Family: 148-149. Timber Press.
• Villalobos, Soraya; Vargas, Orlando & Melo, Sandra (2007): Uso, manejo y conservacion de "yosú", Stenocereus griseus (Cactaceae) en la Alta Guajira colombiana [Usage, Management and Conservation of yosú, Stenocereus griseus (Cactaceae), in the Upper Guajira, Colombia]. [Spanish with English abstract] Acta Biologica Colombiana 12(1): 99-112. PDF fulltext