Night Blooming Cereus

Family

Cactaceae

Native

North America

Description

Acanthocereus tetragonus is a tall, columnar cactus that reaches a height of 2–7 m. Stems are dark green, have three to five angles, and are 6–8 cm  in diameter. Areoles are grey and separated by 2–3 cm . Central areoles have one to two spines up to 4 cm  long, while radial areoles have six to eight spines up to 2.5 cm in length.

The flowers are 14–20 cm in diameter with a tube 8–15 cm in length, showy and are white with a deep red and orange or red-orange center. The flowers bloom at night and close during the day. This cactus blooms a few times a year for several weeks at a time, attracting hummingbird moths. The shiny, red fruits are around 5 cm  long.

Young stems of the Triangle Cactus can be eaten as a vegetable either cooked or raw, while the fruits are edible and sweet.

Environment

Like most cacti they're drought tolerant and need very little care and attention to grow well. Not enough sunlight and over-watering are common mistakes.

Plenty of sunshine will keep this cacti more than happy. In a glass room you may have to provide some shade during a hot summers day to prevent sunburn.

They should be fertilized during their growing season in the summer with a good oragnic fertilizer.

Landscape Uses

This cactus often forms thickets in coastal hammocks which can be impenetrable and spiny. Cultivated as an ornamental.