Pereskia (Pereskia)

When you think of the cactus family, you probably imagine plants with temporary or no foliage. But, the genus Pereskia is the big exception. These tropical cacti, often referred to as leaf cacti, are quite unusual and bear many characteristics, unlike any other plants in their family. Instead, Pereskia cacti often look more like plants from other families. For instance, they often have large bright green leaves and long stems, two characteristics uncommon among cacti. There is also a lot of diversity among leaf cacti in growth habits and preferred treatment.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Pereskia is a small genus of about four species of cacti that do not look much like other types of cacti, having substantial leaves and non-succulent stems. The genus is named after Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, a 16th-century French botanist. The genus was more widely circumscribed until molecular phylogenetic studies showed that it was paraphyletic. The majority of species have since been transferred to Leuenbergeria and Rhodocactus. Although Pereskia does not resemble other cacti in its overall morphology, close examination shows spines developing from areoles, and the distinctive floral cup of the cactus family.

The four species of Pereskia s.s. are almost entirely native to northern and eastern South America, excluding the Amazon basin. Pereskia aculeata has the widest distribution, and is also found in Panama. It has been introduced into several other parts of the world, including Mexico and the United States, South Africa, China and Australia.

Pereskia (Pereskia)
Pereskia aculeata (Scott Zona) 001 Scott Zona from Miami, Florida, USA CC BY 2.0

The four species of Pereskia as the genus is now circumscribed share many features in common with Leuenbergeria and Rhodocactus, which were formerly included in a broadly defined Pereskia. They are shrubs, trees or climbing vines, with maximum heights varying between 3 and 10 m. Unlike the great majority of species of cacti, they have persistent leaves.

Like all cacti, they have spines borne on areoles. Their succulent leaves are longer than wide, reaching 11 cm by 5 cm in the case of P. aculeata. Their flowers are borne in small clusters or are solitary, except for P. aculeata which can have inflorescences of 70 or more individual flowers. P. aculeata has edible fruits, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter; the other species have smaller fruits, only up to 6 mm in diameter in the case of P. horrida. Unlike Leuenbergeria, the stems of Pereskia delay forming bark and have stomata. Unlike Rhodocactus, there are no leaves on the areoles.

II. How to Grow and Care

Light & Temperature

Unlike many other plants in your garden, Pereskia requires full sun and won’t get sunburn even in intense direct sunlight.

Failure to provide adequate sunlight will make the leaves turn green, which is an unhealthy color for members of this genus.

These plants are frost tender, yet they can handle temperatures down to freezing if kept perfectly dry and the roots are kept warm.

Ideally, the plant should be grown in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11.

Watering And Feeding

Pereskia (Pereskia)
Pereskia guamacho JR Ferrer Paris from San Antonio de los Altos, Venezuela CC BY-SA 2.0

During the growing season (March to September), these plants should be watered regularly.

Be sure the soil is well-drained, as even brief periods of standing water can harm the roots.

In winter, try to keep the plant mostly dry, as frost can cause damage, and be wary of winter precipitation.

Indoors, a humidity of 40% percent or higher is recommended, and frequent misting of the plants both indoors and outdoors is a great way to simulate its natural growth habit.

Use a balanced fertilizer to feed the plant monthly throughout the growing season.

Soil

Use a typical cactus potting soil containing some organic material and ensure their drainage is good to avoid damaging the roots.

Fertilizing

Pereskia (Pereskia)
Pereskia grandifolia4 CC BY 2.0

Feed regularly with a balanced, water-soluble cactus fertilizer to increase their propensity to bloom.

Grooming And Maintenance

Pereskia requires little to no maintenance and can be ignored for periods of time without harming the plant.

It may be pruned or shaped if desired.

Propagation

You may harvest the seeds from overripe fruit, clean, dry, and store them for planting in spring.

Use an equal mix of peat and perlite to sow seeds, keeping the surface moist until germination 21 to 30 days later.

Stem cuttings are another option, and the cuttings may further be used for grafting.

Choose young stems which have begun hardening for your cuttings.

Place them in and or the peat and perlite mix immediately and place in bright, indirect light.

It takes approximately 4 days for roots to begin growing.

Repotting

Pereskia (Pereskia)
Pereskia bleo Arria Belli CC BY-SA 3.0

Pereskias like dry conditions and do not need to be repotted often, but still, it is a good idea to refresh their soil by repotting occasionally. Be careful when repotting any cactus not to get hurt by its sharp spines, and lift the plant from its mix and replace it in a new container before backfilling with soil. Do not water for a few weeks after repotting. The plant is still acclimating to its new container.

Pests and Diseases

As with most cacti, this plant is designed to be drought resistant but may suffer some leaf drops.

It is fairly disease resistant, although scale and mealybugs on succulents are an issue.

Note that the spines are sharp, requiring care when pruning or harvesting.

Grower’s Tips

As with many cacti, Pereskias can be almost ignored and still flourish. One of the major advantages that succulents pose as houseplants is their ease, and overwatering or overfeeding them is a bigger danger than neglecting them because it can damage their roots. If you repot them, remember to leave them alone for a brief period to avoid overstressing them, and ensure to keep an eye out for common houseplant pests. Many of these cacti can not be grown as houseplants anyway due to their shrubby growth habit, and others are very rare, but when you do find out, Pereskias can be good in cultivation.

III. Uses and Benefits

Pereskia (Pereskia)
Pereskia aculeata fruit Nadiatalent CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Ornamental uses

Pereskia works great on trellises or as container plants.

When grown as an ornamental or privacy hedge, it quickly fills out into a dense wall.

The smaller vining plants may be kept in hanging baskets.

  • Other uses

The genus is not of great economic importance. Pereskia aculeata has edible fruit and is widely cultivated. The fruit contains numerous small seeds. It somewhat resembles a gooseberry in appearance and is of excellent flavor. This plant is a declared weed in South Africa. It can also be used as a rootstock for grafting of Schlumbergera to create miniature trees.

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