The name Cereus peruvianus has sometimes been misapplied to Cereus hildmannianus K.Schum., a species native to southern and central Brazil. The true Cereus peruvianus (L.) Mill., which is treated here as a synonym of Cereus repandus, is not native to Brazil and all reports for this species as a native plant in Brazil should properly apply to Cereus hildmannianus K.Schum.

Common Name: Cadushi

General Information

Cereus repandus is a succulent, evergreen, shrub or tree-like cactus with an open crown that is somewhat suggestive of a candelabra[]. It can grow up to 10 metres tall. The plant usually branches from near the ground with a main stem that can be 40cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine, and as a source of materials. The stem is an important staple food for local people on Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles, where it is traded. The stem is also made into a dried product, known as Cadushi powder, which is wrapped in small pieces of paper and marketed locally. The plant is commonly grown as an ornamental in gardens.
Cereus repandus has a wide distribution and threats appear to be relatively minor and localized. It occurs in high densities in multiple localities.The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern S. America - Colombia, Venezuela; Caribbean - Grenada, Netherlands Antilles.

Habitat

Often grows in thickets, sometimes forming the dominant feature of the landscape; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Pollinators	Bats
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cereus repandus is a plant of semi-arid areas in the tropics. It will stand very high temperatures, but is not too frost hardy - probably able to survive a few degrees of frost[].
Prefers a position in full sun and a well-drained soil[]. Prefers a pH lower than 6[].
Seedlings utilize nurse plants in order to become established, growing in the shelter of various trees and shrubs but favouring thorny legume species, such Acacia farnesiana and Acacia macracantha[].
Along with Stenocereus griseus, Cereus repandus forms vegetation units known as cardonales[].
The flowers open of a night time[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. The white flesh has a mild, sweet flavour[]. The fruits often split open whilst still on the plant[]. The dark red (occasionally white), oblong fruit is 3 - 4cm long[].
A soup is made from the plant (?from the fruits?)[].

Stem - cooked or dried for later use[]. To obtain the edible portion of the stem (which is a small percentage of the whole), the tough, colourless, transparent skin is peeled from the hollows, and then the 3mm layer of soft, granular, dark-green flesh is cut off in strips and used fresh, or dried and pounded to a mealy powder. When added to boiling water and cooked for at least 15 minutes, it forms a thinly mucilaginous green soup stock with a mild asparagus flavour[].

Medicinal

The plant has medicinal uses[].
The fleshy stem is used for making cooling and emollient ointments that heal skin conditions[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is grown as a living hedge for marking boundaries and as a barrier to grazing animals[]. It makes an impenetrable hedge[].

Other Uses

The plant is used to filter drinking water[].

The sliced stems have been used as a soap substitute for washing the hair, crockery etc[].

The wood from the stems is used for making furniture items such as chairs, chests and small decorative tables[, ].
The dried stems have been used for fuel[]. It burns well and has been used as a torch[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings

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