Gilocereus is an amazing creeper of the Cactus family, which rightfully deserves the title of king among cacti. Its flowers resemble snow-white crowns and delight with a heady aroma under the cover of night. The native land of the plant is Central America, but it coexists well in the tropical and subtropical zones of other continents.
Botanical characteristics
Hilocereus cactus is a rather large plant, which forms a sprawling bush up to 2 m high. The stems of the plant are wide (up to 7 cm in diameter) and fleshy, they are covered with waxy skin and painted in dark green. Often the stem has a trihedral slice and a drooping shape. Shoots intensively creep along horizontal and vertical surfaces. The length of the stem can reach 3 m. In the internodes, filiform air roots are formed, which serve to receive nutrients from the air, as well as for attaching to the support. Bunches of spines 1-10 mm long are formed on the pointed ribs. Most spines are soft or slightly sharp. There are varieties completely devoid of needles.
At the age of 2-4 years, the hilocereus ripens and releases flowers enough. Flowers of white, purple or milky hues are located at the ends of the stems and open at night. By morning, huge buds (10-30, and sometimes 40 cm) tightly fold their petals. The core of the flower is densely covered with yellow stamens. The plant is pollinated by nocturnal insects, after which it gives aromatic edible fruits - pitahaya.
The size of the fruit can vary from the size of a kiwi to a small melon. Each fruit has a pink or purple skin with soft growths. Under it lies a very delicious, delicious pulp. The pulp can be colored white or pink. Small black seeds are found throughout the fetus. Under suitable conditions, the hilocereus is able to bloom and bear fruit up to 4 times a year.
Varieties
In the genus of hilocereus, there are about 25 species. All of them are suitable for cultivation and cultivation at home. Let us dwell on the most interesting types.
Hilocereus of Costa Rican. It has thickened creeping stems, at the ends of which large flowers form. The color of the petals is white with a purple border. After pollination, the ovoid pitahaya matures. Its peel is purple in color, and the flesh is scarlet. The species is common in Peru, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Hilocereus narrow-winged. It forms rather compact bushes, the diameter and height of which does not exceed 15 cm. Creeping stems are painted in chestnut color, purple flowers with a short tube are formed at their ends. Rounded fruits are 7 cm in diameter. The species is common in Costa Rica.
Hilocereus wavy. The species is distinguished by very long (up to 5 m) and winding stems. The lateral sides of the stems are covered with tufts of hard but short needles. During flowering, snow-white night flowers are formed with a diameter of up to 27 cm. A large oblong fruit is covered with red skin and has a white flesh with black seeds.
Hilocereus field. The plant has bluish, winding stems up to 2 m long. Faces cover the bundles of soft yellow needles. Large (up to 30 cm) flowers are painted white and have light green stripes. In pink fruits, the flesh is yellow or peach in color with a light melon aroma.
Hilocereus trihedral. The plant has a creeping stalk with three pointed edges. The surface of the stems is painted in a light green hue and covered with bunches of prickly yellow and brown needles. The flowers are large, snow-white.
Hilocereus Ocampus. A common species in Guatemala and Mexico that resembles a vine. Its blue-green stems with a diameter of up to 6 cm reach a length of 2.5-3 m. At the ends of the shoots flowers are formed with snow-white petals and purple bracts. Reddish or yellow fruits have a pleasant aroma.
Hilocereus triangular. Distributed in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. The plant has very thin, liana-like stems, painted in a light green color. The stem has three sharp edges, covered with rare needles. Along the entire length of the shoots there are many aerial roots. The ends of the stems are covered with single snow-white flowers up to 20 cm in diameter. The fruit is a round red berry, up to 5 cm in diameter.
Hylocereus reproduction
For seed propagation of the hilocereus, ripe, dry seeds with an age of not more than 2 years are used. For planting, a mixture of equal parts of sand and sheet soil is suitable. Tracing paper or expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the container. The soil is evenly moistened and the seeds deepened by 1-1.5 cm. The container covered with a film is left in a bright room with an air temperature of about + 20 ° C. The first shoots appear in 15-25 days.
With vegetative propagation, a section of the stem is used. It is left in the fresh air for two days for drying. Cuttings are planted in light sandy soil and placed in a shaded place. Within a month, while rooting takes place, regularly sprinkle the shoot and add water to the pan. After the appearance of their own roots, the hylocereus is gradually accustomed to the bright sun.
Care Rules
Hilocereus does not require careful care at home. He prefers light fertile substrates. It is convenient to buy ready-made mixes for cacti. The plant needs a large capacity, since the root system is quite developed. In regions where there is no frost, you can plant the hylocereus in open ground. He prefers a tropical climate, but is able to withstand cooling to 0 ° C.
For planting an adult plant, choose warm, sunny areas or slight shading. It is advisable to plant a cactus next to a support on which it can crawl.
Hilocereus is not often watered, always drying an earthen lump between waterings. During cooling, the soil is irrigated once a week, and in winter they take a break for a month. Providing a period of rest, you can soon achieve abundant flowering.
Possible difficulties
Hilocereus has good resistance to diseases and pests. The only problem may be related to improper care. With moisture stagnation at the roots or water entering the stems, patches of rot appear that can destroy the entire plant. The situation is aggravated by lower air temperature.
In the heat, too dry air can provoke an attack of a spider mite or mealybug. Regular spraying or insecticide treatment helps.
Using
Spreading overgrowth of gilocereus and huge flowers have high decorative properties. If you plant a cactus along the garden fence or on the balcony, it will gradually encircle the entire surface, and during the flowering period will decorate the territory with nightly fragrant flowers.
Hilocereus are known for their vitality, so they are often used as a stock for other succulents and epiphytes.
In recent years, this cactus has been grown for the sake of delicious fruits. The pitahaya, known even during Maya, was undeservedly forgotten for many centuries. However, in recent decades, fragrant fruits are in great demand. The product is valued for its vitamin and antioxidant content. The fruits are eaten as an independent dish, and also used as seasoning for meat dishes and pastries. You can also find drinks from pitahaya, including strong alcohol.
