The name Cereus peruvianus has sometimes been misapplied to Cereus hildmannianus. The true Cereus peruvianus (L.) Mill., which is now treated as a synonym of Cereus repandus (L.) Mill., is not native to Brazil.

Common Name: Hedge Cactus

General Information

Cereus hildmannianus is an almost spineless, succulent, evergreen, shrub or tree-like cactus with an open crown that is somewhat suggestive of a candelabra[, ]. It can grow 8 - 15 metres tall. The plant often branches from near the ground, but can make a main stem up to 2 metres tall and 50 - 90cm in diameter[]. There are often no spines on younger stems, the spines growing progressively as the stem ages[].
The edible fruit is harvested from the wild and generally appreciated by the local population[]. There have been attempts to cultivate this plant as a fruit crop, especially in Israel. It is one of the most commonly grown ornamental cacti in gardens and is also grown as a hedge and living fence[, ].
Cereus hildmannianus occurs over a vast area and within protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - Argentina, Uruguay. Paraguay, Bolivia, southern, eastern and central Brazil.

Habitat

Pampas grassland, seasonal semi-deciduous forests; principally found on plateaux at elevations from 700 - 1,000 metres; showing a preference for thin, rocky soils[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	7.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cereus hildmannianus is a plant of the warm temperate to tropical regions. Plants are quite hardy when conditions are fairly dry, able to tolerate occasional short-lived temperatures as low as -10°c[].
Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil[, ]. Prefers a pH lower than 6[]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[].
There are reports that the plant has escaped from cultivation and become invasive in Hawaii[].
Newly planted trees are slow to establish and grow away[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. The tasty fruit has a sweet, fleshy pulp[, ]. The fruit peel is sometimes candied[]. The orangish-yellow fruit is up to 12cm long and 10cm wide[].

The young stems are sometimes eaten[].

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is antiscorbutic and bechic[].

The juice of the plant is used externally, mainly in the treatment of burns; in cataplasms it hastens the healing of wounds and chronic ulcers[]. The juice is also used in the treatment of snakebites[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is a pioneer of open ground in its native area and could be a suitable, if slow-growing, pioneer for semi-arid areas generally[, ].
With its upright and spiny habit, plus the ease at which it can be propagated by cuttings, this species makes an excellent living hedge for marking boundaries, excluding grazing animals and conserving the soil[, ]

Other Uses

The wood is regular-grained, very light and coarse-textured. It is very susceptible to wood eating organisms. It can only be used to make light boxes and models such as model aeroplanes[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sow the seed in a semi-shaded position, spreading the seed on the surface and watering it into the soil. Germination rates are usually low with the seed sprouting within 30 - 50 days[].
Cuttings. One of the easiest cactus to propagate by cuttings[].

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