Harrisia fragrans
Small ex Britton & Rose
Cactaceae
Cereus eriophorus fragrans (Small ex Britton & Rose) L.D.Benson
Cereus fragrans (Small ex Britton & Rose) Little
Cereus gracilis simpsonii (Small ex Britton & Rose) L.D.Benson
Harrisia eriophora fragrans (Small ex Britton & Rose) D.B.Ward
Harrisia gracilis simpsonii (Small ex Britton & Rose) D.B.Ward
Harrisia simpsonii Small ex Britton & Rose
Common Name: Fragrant Prickly Apple
General Information
Harrisia fragrans is a spiny, evergreen, shrubby cactus with erect, sprawling or clambering, slender stems that can be up to 5 metres long[
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
,
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
,
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
Range
Southeast N. America - eastern and southern Florida
Habitat
Mostly found in remnants of oak-red bay scrub on dry sand dunes, usually with Opuntia
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Pollinators | Moths, Bats |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | 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[
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
].
The flowers open of a night time and are sweetly scented to attract bats and moths[
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
]. The red to yellow, globose fruit is 4 - 6cm long[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
,
1987- Title
- The Cactus Family
- Publication
-
- Author
- Anderson E.F.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 0-88192-498-9
- Description
- An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
], with spines according to one report[
1438- Title
- Food Plants in the Americas: A Survey of the Domesticated, Cultivated, and Wild Plants Used for Human Food in North,
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kermath B.M.; Bennett B.C.' Pulsipher L.M.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2014
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A pre-publication draft of an amazing, on-going work first started in 1985. It contains information on more than 3,900 taxa from the Americas - from Arctic regions to the Tropics
], free of spines according to another[
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
]. Harrisia fruits generally contain a sweet, edible, white pulp with hundreds to thousands of tiny seeds embedded in the pulp[
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
].
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[
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
].
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[
1995- Title
- Monograph of Harrisia (Cactaceae)
- Publication
- Phytoneuron 2016-85: 1-159
- Author
- Franck A.R.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
- 2153 733X
- Description
- A very comprehensive treatment of the genus, with lots of illustrations and colour photos
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
