James H. Schutte
Family
Cactaceae
Botanical Name
CEREUS jamacaru
Plant Common Name
Mandacaru, Night-blooming Cactus, Pleated Cereus
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
While grown for its foot-long (30 cm) nocturnal flowers, mandacarú is a large-growing, tree-like cactus. It is native to northeastern Brazil and is quite variable in form, size and presence of spines. Grow it as a houseplant when young, but expect it to become a huge, heavy plant specimen.
Mandacarú is a rather fast growing and upright with numerous vertical branches. There are no leaves, but the green stems photosynthesize sunlight. There are four to six ribs on each stem, and clusters of yellow spines may or may not occur on aereoles on the ribs. Its summertime, large, white flowers are tubular, many petaled and night blooming, though they will remain open up until the early morning hours. They are fragrant and may be pollinated by bats and moths. They give way to large egg-shaped, purple-violet, smooth-skinned fruits packed with sweet white flesh and tiny black, crunchy seeds. The fruit is edible and tastes like watermelon (if you can get to it before the birds and bats do).
This cactus is for hot, dry conditions but performs better if some irrigation occurs in the heat of summer. Keep the soil very dry in winter. Do not plant outdoors in regions that receive hard freezes each winter, even though mandacarú tolerates some frost. Grow it as a massive vertical accent in a xeriscape garden or desert rockery. When small, grow it as a containerized houseplant.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 10
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 15
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Sunset Zone
H2, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Cactus or Succulent
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
25'-40' / 7.6m - 12.2m
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Width
10'-18' / 3.0m - 5.5m
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Bloom Time
Early Summer
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Native To
South America, Brazil
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Drought
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Xeric/Desert, Drought Tolerant
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Habit
Upright/Erect
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
