Common Name: Fragrant Prickly Apple

General Information

Harrisia eriophora is a spiny, evergreen, shrubby or tree-like cactus, often with a well-developed, erect trunk up to 1 metre tall. It often forms dense clumps with erect, arching, or clambering stems, 3 - 5 metres tall and 4cm or more in diameter[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is also cultivated as a fruit crop in Cuba. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
Harrisia eriophora is widespread in Cuba and current threats are not known to be detrimental to the species. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Caribbean - western and central Cuba

Habitat

Dry scrublands and scrub forest; at elevations from sea level to 100 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Pollinators	Moths, Bats
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The genus Harrisia is found in semi-arid tropical to subtropical regions of the Americas, growing in both the northern and southern hemispheres. There is usually a dry season at the cooler part of the year that can last up to 6 months. Annual precipitation is generally around 500 - 1,200mm. In the northernmost part of its range, in Florida, and in its southwestern range in Argentina and Bolivia, it experiences occasional freezing temperatures, and in cultivation light frosts (1-2 per year) experienced by species in Florida, seemed well-tolerated and not detrimental[].

The flowers open of a night time and are sweetly scented to attract bats and moths[, ].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, , ]. The yellow to dull red, obovoid to globose fruit is up to 6cm in diameter and free of spines[, ]. Harrisia fruits generally contain a sweet, edible, white pulp with hundreds to thousands of tiny seeds embedded in the pulp[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - usually germinates quickly and well without pre-treatment, though fresh seed may have a short dormancy of up to 8 weeks, Washing the seed in water prior to sowing can shorten germination time. The seed sometimes germinates whilst still in the fruit[].
Cuttings. Vegetative reproduction is frequent in nature when stems break and detach from the parent plant. The stems can proceed to produce roots along tissue nearest to the ground and produce a new plant[].

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