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marcyoung

New Zealander wants to discuss/exchange cereus seed for....

marcyoung
10 years ago

I know this is a discussion forum, but the exchange forum is for USA only..........so my apologies :- ) New Zealand (Australasia) just doesn't have the population to support seed exchange..............(and my Spanish is not so great). but I'm also keen on discussion of edible fruiting cacti, so please feel free to add............

I have Fresh tasty fruiting Cereus X seeds for trade ;
1) Cereus aethiops (Cereus chalybaeus) x Cereus jamacaru or x Cereus peruvianus.
2) Cereus peruvianus x Cereus aethiops (Cereus chalybaeus) or x Cereus jamacaru.

(both are x for good kiwi tasting (spineless) fruit, but are also a handsome cacti)

.........I'm Particular after some Stenocereus.....but happy to swap for any fresh seed of any edible fruiting cacti..............Escontria chiotilla - (Jiotilla), Selenicereus , Hylocereus, Epiphyllum's,
Myrtillocactus, cereus, columar cactus, any X's of the above also welcomed....open to any thing really
...PM.......

.....heres some info, which even if your not interested in trading ...is a good read....though I'm sure most of you are aware of the following................

Cereus or Peruvian Apple Cactus is an under appreciated fast growing cactus with delicious fruit
These seeds are from a excellent fruiting hybrid Cereus X then X again with Cereus aethiops and or Cereus jamacaru? So they should produce some interesting hybrids.

The cereus fruit is definitely not as sexy looking as its cousin the Dragon Fruit. However, it is just as tasty (if not more so).
The Cereus X is an ovoid smooth skinned (thornless) fruit with orange-red colored skin. The skin of the fruit will turn from blue-purple to orange-red when ripe.
The fruit will also often split when fully ripe.
Some varieties will have pink or yellow colored fruit.
The size varies significantly even on the same branch, but most will fit in your hand.

Cereus fruit taste:

The taste of the Cereus X is a big surprise. The flesh is crunchy and melting like shaved ice. Yes, it is deliciously hard to believe. The melting crunchiness is like some kind of delightful candy.
The fruit is also refreshingly juicy.
Inside the flesh is white and somewhat crystalline in texture. The white flesh is speckled with small pleasantly crunchy black seeds.The crunch-of the seeds is similar to a kiwi fruit.
The sweetness is similar to sugarcane.
The flavors are very subtle fruity/floral and very very subtly tart.
The outer skin is easy to peel, and sometimes the skin just falls off. The peel is not eaten

Food Use:
I like to just eat cereus fresh out of hand or spoon it out. It's really a tasty treat.
It is additionally refreshing after it is chilled in the frig a bit. However, prolonged refrigeration (more than a day or so), seems to make the fruit kindof sticky

Cereus pollination:
Cereus pollination is likely from bats or moths given the nocturnal blooming of the flowers.
these are hand pollination,
Various reports state that some of these cactus are self-infertile and others are not. In all likelihood the plants will not be labeled as a particular strain when you go looking to buy one. Sorry, I know this is lame.
As a result, you may consider getting more than one genetic strain for cross-pollination. The different strains may be distinguished by slightly different branch coloring (some more green and others more purple). Other strains may have slightly different branch rib pattern or thorn pattern. Some varieties have yellow skinned fruit

Cereus soil:

Cereus should have well draining soil. I planted most of the ones that I have on a slope to help with drainage.
I have not found a lot of specific information about soil preference. Some sources have said that this particular cactus is tolerant of a wide variety of soil types. That being said, I have noticed that they appreciate organic material in the soil. For example, I planted one cutting in just sand/DG and the poor thing is yellow and has hardly grown while the other ones planted with augmented soil are doing amazing well. I have had success with a sandy loam, which is basically sand/DG like soil mixed with about 30% grow mulch.
For my basic planting philosophy/technique check out this post.
For almost all of my cactus (except the dragon fruit), I have avoided soils with sphagnum moss. Sphagnum moss will help the soil to retain moisture which is good for most plants but will predispose typical cacti to deadly root rot

There seems to be a lot of misinformation out there about this cactus.
The name would suggest that it is native of Peru. However, most reports state that it is actually native to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
There also seems to be a lot of debate and confusion about the nomenclature of this cactus. I have chosen one of the most common names to title this blog but it has also been named: Cereus repandus, Peruvian Apple Cactus, Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, cadushi, pitaya, kayush and Night Blooming Cereus.

Climate will handle down to -3 c............if you live in a temperate climate with heavy frost, as I do ...grow in large pots and bring inside a sunny warm living room for the coldest period...keep on the dry side through winter..................

the young cereus plants, with immature fruit...............