The pillar cactus, also called Cereus, is very popular in the room because of its striking appearance. Since there are many species, it is not always easy to determine the exact variety. However, there are a few characteristics that will help you identify a cereus quite well.
The columnar cactus is characterized by its columnar growth
Features to identify the cereus
- Upright growth
- single or multi-stemmed
- trunks with ribs
- almost always armed with thorns
- blooms only at night
The pillar cactus comes from South America. It only needs a little water because it can store the moisture in the trunk.
Depending on the species, a pillar cactus can grow to a height of more than 15 meters in its homeland. In indoor culture, with good care, it can reach a height of one meter or more within about six years.
Upright form with one or more trunks
The columnar cactus always grows in an upright form. Some strains have a main stem with no side shoots, while others form multiple stems.
The individual trunks are ribbed, the number of which varies depending on the variety. There are species that only have seven to eight ribs, while others show up to 30 ribs.
Difference to leaf cactus
Leaf cacti are succulents. They are at home in the rainforests and in nature almost always grow on the leaves of other plants. Their shoots consist of several limbs that hang down. This makes the leaf cactus well suited as a traffic light plant. Thorns are almost never present, while the cereus always has thorns. These can sometimes be very pronounced.
Leaf cacti, which include Christmas cactus and Easter cactus, unlike the cereus, flower regularly if placed cooler in winter. Some strains also need several hours of complete darkness per day.
The columnar cactus hardly ever flowers in room culture. The gardener has better luck if he can grow the Cereus in the greenhouse all year round. However, the flower is only open at night. During the day it fades quickly.
tips
When repotting a cereus, be careful. The roots are very sensitive and should not be damaged if possible. Diseased and injured roots increase the risk of disease.