Cereus is a massive and unusual plant (some consider it even ugly). But in skilled hands and with proper care, this cactus blooms with beautiful yellow inflorescences and even gives edible small berries. Features of growing this outlandish succulent are described below.
What does Peruvian Cereus look like?
Cereus is one of the brightest representatives of the Cactus family. Succulent is distinguished by its large size, good frost resistance and fruitful growth. The plant reaches a height of 20 m. Its root system is considered powerful and dense, it develops very quickly. Often called succulents Cereus Monstrous.
Peruvian Cereus in a pot
Sharp thorns are located along the entire length of the flower. Their length varies within 3 cm. The central spines are presented in the form of a spike; their length reaches 10 cm.
Common varieties
The main types of cereus include:
- nocturnal cereus;
- Cereus Manga;
- spiral cereus;
- Cereus azure;
- giant cereus.
- Cereus is ionostrous;
- Cereus Yamakaru.
Important! Each variety of cactus culture requires specific growing conditions.
Cereus Peruvian: home care
Cactus Cereus is a plant with good immunity. The speed and productivity of the growth of Cereus Peruvian depend on caring for it at home. In order to correctly contain a flower, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of watering, transplanting and propagating it.
Temperature
The owner should know that cactus cereus can easily withstand extreme temperature changes. He feels well in extreme heat and moderate cold. In winter, succulents can develop normally at a temperature of 8 to 12 degrees. In summer, maximum rates are held at around 30 degrees.
For fruitful growth, the flower of Cereus needs good air circulation, therefore, it must be periodically taken out to the balcony (for 2-3 days).
Lighting
Cereus of Peruvian loves good lighting, preferably natural. Gardeners are advised to exhibit the plant in the most lighted place of the house.
It is permissible to leave a cactus in direct sunlight during the summer. But here it is important not to overdo it, so that this does not lead to excessive dryness of the soil. Periodically, it will be necessary to bring it into the house and hide from exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Watering
Cactus Cereus loves moderate watering. Excess and lack of moisture can adversely affect the growth and flowering of the plant.
Any actions with a cactus should be carried out with caution.
Active watering must be carried out in the summer, when there is intense heat.
- In autumn, water the plant 2 times less often.
- In winter, watering is completely stopped.
It is necessary to give the root system a little rest so that it does not begin to rot. Gardeners advise watering the cereus with cool and hard water. The earth should always be moderately moist.
Attention! Excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system.
Humidity
The Peruvian cactus tolerates the arid atmosphere and develops well in it. But an increase in the percentage of humidity in the room will never harm him.
Therefore, it is periodically necessary to spray the plant with liquid from a spray gun or turn on automatic humidifiers.
Priming
The plant develops well in acidic or neutral soil. Humus soil is not suitable for the full growth of a cactus.
If gardeners use ready-made mixtures for planting crops, it is better to add a little sand or grated brick to the solution.
Top dressing
During the growth and vegetation period, the plant crop needs intensive and regular feeding. For these purposes, it is recommended to use potash and organic fertilizers.
Specialty stores sell special liquid fertilizers for cactus breeds; during the growing season, you can use them.
When the flowering is over, you need to feed the cactus once, and then leave it alone until spring. During wintering, fertilizer is not required.
Attention! An excess of nutrients can lead to poor development of the root system, so it is important to always follow the measure.
Features of care at rest
The cactus plant completely fades in mid or late September. At this time, experienced gardeners advise not to rearrange the pot with succulent and do not overload it with frequent watering.
Top dressing until subsequent cold weather can be completely eliminated, but watering will need to be carried out at least once a month. This will contribute to the formation of new shoots.
Important! You can focus on dry soil. As soon as it becomes completely dry and begins to crack, you can pour plenty of cool water on the flower.
The optimal temperature in winter for plant development is from 15 to 18 degrees heat. However, when the temperature rises to 25 degrees Cereus will also feel good. You only need to periodically moisten the air in the room.
When and how it blooms
In the first year of growth, the shoots of Cereus have a bluish tint. The more time passes, the more they condense and darken.
Flowering Peruvian Cereus
On the stem of the plant areola with spikes (5-6 pieces in each). In April and May, the cactus begins to bloom. In place of the areoles, cream and yellow inflorescences appear. Their length can reach 16 cm. The leaves of the flowers are covered with barely noticeable scales, they have tubular petals.
As they develop, the flowers acquire a bright red hue. Blooming of buds is observed mainly at night. Further on the cactus branches appear fruits. These are small round berries of a yellow or orange hue.
For reference! Fruits during their maturity are considered edible - according to the reviews of those who have tried, they have a sweet taste and delicate aroma.
How is Peruvian Cereus propagated?
Cactus culture propagates in two ways: seeds and cuttings.
Seed germination
Reproduction must begin in mid-spring (late April or early May). The step-by-step process is as follows:
- A small container must be filled with sand, mixed with a small amount of earth.
- Plant preliminary soaked seed in prepared soil.
- Water the ground and leave the pot in a cool and well-ventilated area until spring.
- When the first shoots appear, the container with seeds will need to be transferred to a more illuminated part of the house, while the temperature should be kept at around 20 degrees.
When spikes appear, even loose ones, it will be possible to pick. Further, young succulents are looked after as an adult plant.
Rooting cuttings
Cuttings are carried out in early summer. It’s better to navigate in the middle of June. The procedure is as follows:
- With a sharp disinfected knife, several young shoots are cut off.
- Prepared cuttings are cut into several parts.
- They are sent to a warm room for thorough drying.
- The pot is filled with loose soil, cuttings are placed in it, the plant is abundantly watered.
- Now it needs to be sent to a well-ventilated place to seal the root system.
Important! After a month, the plant can be planted in separate containers.
Transfer
The number of transplants depends on the growth rate of the cactus breed. Usually the pot is changed once a year or two. The procedure is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Choose a larger pot, it should have sufficient depth.
- Place loose soil mixed with humus in a container.
- Plant a plant, water it abundantly and put in a well-consecrated part of the house.
After 3-4 days, cereus cereus can be fertilized with mineral fertilizers. Re-watering is done when the earth in the pot dries well. High humidity can damage the root system of a crop.
Cactus Transplant
Diseases and pests
Cereus Peruvian is considered a fairly stable plant. But if proper care conditions are not observed, it can be infected with various diseases or the appearance of pests on it:
- Shield. These are insects that have a convex body. They appear in springtime. The scabbard sticks to the shoots of the flower and sucks its juices. If you do not remove insects in a timely manner, the cactus may die.
- Mealybug. The parasite appears on the shoots of the plant and leaves a white coating on them. Over time, it leads to the destruction of the integrity of the stems and leaves, this is fraught with the death of cereus.
- Spider mite. The insect appears on the trunk of a succulent. The tick leaves its web and red dots on it, which lead to a slow death of the culture.
With reduced immunity, a plant culture can get fungal and bacterial infections. You can determine the presence of pathology by changing the color scheme of the aerial parts, the appearance of brown spots on the trunk, the development of rot on individual shoots. In such cases, it is necessary to carry out preventive spraying and transplant the culture into a new pot with clean soil.
Signs and superstitions
Since ancient times, cacti have been considered energy assistants for humans. Many esotericists believed that they possess very strong and powerful energy.
Cactus near the house
People believe that a cactus planted or planted at the threshold can protect the house and its inhabitants from troubles and robbers. It should be borne in mind that cacti love a kind and warm atmosphere in the family. Therefore, if quarrels and conflicts regularly occur at home, the beneficial effects of the flower can not be seen.
Peruvian Cereus is a cactus plant, which is characterized by unpretentiousness in care and good immunity. The flower requires regular watering and top dressing only during the period of active vegetation, which greatly facilitates the process of growing. Despite the unpretentiousness of the culture, do not forget about the basic rules of care in order to prevent the development of diseases.
