5 Great Reasons You Should Choose Genus Pereskia for Your Cactus Garden

Genus Pereskia is a genus of cactus plants which is ideal for you if you want to grow a cactus which does not look like a cactus! Yes, the plants in genus Pereskia do not look like the common cactus plants you might have seen so far. On the contrary, they are quite beautiful and are popular ornamental plants. They have thin stems and non-succulent, glossy, green leaves. Actually, Pereskia is the only genus in the Cactaceae family that has non-succulent leaves. Most of them are flowering plants and flowers are quite beautiful too. Pereskia plants can be shrubs, trees or climbing vines. They grow up to 3m to 10m (9.8 to 32.8 feet). They are native to the West Indies and the coastal areas of South America.

About Genus Pereskia

Pereskia is a small genus of cacti comprising around only 17 species. Pereskia genus is named after Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, a French botanist, naturalist and archaeologist of the 16th century. Although plants in the genus Pereskia do not look like common cacti, they resemble cacti in terms of spines growing from areoles and the floral cup, a distinctive characteristic of the cactus family.

 

Characteristics of Pereskia

Plants in the genus Pereskia have spines developed on areoles. They are deciduous, multi-branched plants. Their trunk and branches are woody, stems are thin and leaves are flat and fleshy. Their leaves are longer than wide. Flowers are solitary or develop in small clusters. But flowers of P. aculeata can have inflorescences of 70 or more individual flowers. Pereskia flowers are usually ¾ to 3 in (2 to 7.6cm) in diameter and look like a wild rose. They come in shades of purple, pink, yellow and white, and are very attractive and fragrant. They usually have 7 to 20 petals and have numerous stamens. Most species in Pereskia genus have small fruit usually up to 6mm (0.23 in) in diameter. Fruits of P. aculeata, however, are 1.5 to 2.5cm (0.05-0.09 in) in diameter and are edible. Actually, most Pereskia plants are grown for their lovely flowers and edible fruits. Leaves of some species too are edible. Plants produce flowers during spring and summer. Flowers attract pollinators, and fruits attract birds and small mammals. Pereskia plants have many features in common with Rhodocactus and Leuenbergeria, however, they don’t have leaves on the areoles, unlike Rhodocactus, and their stems delay forming bark and have stomata, unlike Leuenbergeria.

Common Names of Pereskia Plants

Pereskia plants are commonly known as leaf cactus and rose cactus.

Growing Pereskia Plants and Taking Care

Another reason to choose a Pereskia plant for your cactus collection is that these are very low-maintenance plants. Here are their requirements.

USDA Hardiness Zone

Pereskia plants grow well in USDA Hardiness zones 10a, 10b, 11a and 11b.

Soil

Pereskia plants need well-drained, rich, organic and moist soil. Soil pH should be neutral i.e. between 6.0 to 8.0

Container

Most Pereskia species grow well in containers, either indoors or on patio. However, if your variety is larger, allow sufficient room for growth. To start with, an 8” to 16” (15 to 41cm) diameter and 10” (25cm) deep container will be sufficient. Keep in mind that the more room the roots will get to spread and loosen, the taller and healthier your Pereskia plant will be. Remember to switch to a larger container if the plant is root bound as its growth will slow down.

Sun

You should give your Pereskia plant full sun or partial shade. Ideally you should provide your plant with 6 or more hours of direct sunlight and 2 or more hours of shade per day.

Temperature

Pereskia plants prefer temperatures from 16-degree to 24-degree C (60-degree to 75-degree F).

Water

Most Pereskia species are drought tolerant. Water your Pereskia plant thoroughly from spring to fall, but let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Avoid soggy soil. Reduce watering during winter dormancy.

Fertilizer

Pereskia plants do not need much of fertilization. Apply a slow-release fertilizer tri-annually, a few inches away from the base. In case of no fertilization, their growth will tend to reduce. Don’t use cheaper fertilizers as their heavy salt content will damage the roots and may kill the plant. It’s recommended to use a brand you know well and trust.

Propagation

You can propagate your Pereskia plants through seeds or stem cuttings.

Sow Pereskia seeds in a well-draining cactus mix. Lightly cover them with soil. The soil should be moist and warm. Seeds should germinate within a few weeks. However, you’ll need to be patient as it can take several months for seedlings to reach a significant size.

For propagating through stem cuttings, take a 4-6 inch (10 to 15cm) cutting from a mature, healthy plant. Remove leaves from an inch or two of its bottom and dip the cut end into rooting hormone. Plant the cutting in a well-draining potting mix which should be moist.

Pests and Diseases

A good thing about Pereskia plants is that they do not suffer from any serious pest or diseases. Just keep an eye on any scale or mealybug infestation. Another problem may be root rot if you overwater the plant.

 

Popular Species

Pereskia aculeata (Barbados Gooseberry)

Commonly known as Barbados Gooseberry, P. aculeata is a small, vining, showy houseplant which sprawls and produce yellow to white to creamy to pinkish flowers that are strongly scented. Flowers are numerous and are produced in panicles. Fruits are rounded berries, translucent white to light yellow, red or orange, and contain many small seeds. Leaves are edible. They look a lot like gooseberries and taste excellent. It grows up to 10m (33 feet) in height with stems up to 2-3cm (0.79-1.18 in) in diameter. Its thorns are hooked. Older plants have woody spines. It has large (4-11cm (1.6-4.3 in) long and 1.5-4cm (0.59-1.57 in) broad), fleshy, green leaves and orange edible fruits.

Pereskia grandiflora

Also known as Rhodocactus grandifolius, P. grandiflora is a shrub and grows up to 6 to 16 feet (1.8 to 4.8m). it has brownish-gray trunk and rounded crown of branches and leaves. The trunk has grayish or brownish cushion-shaped areoles. It blooms during July and August, and flowers are very attractive. They are pink and popularly planted on hedges.

Pereskia bleo

Commonly known as Wax Rose, P. bleo is native to forests of South and Central America. It’s a leafy cactus as its habitat is moist and shady. Its leaves are elliptic and appear wrinkled. Flowers are rose-like and grow at the end of the stem. They appear waxy, hence the name. flower color ranges from red, orange and scarlet to pink. They are bisexual and have up to 10 petals. Fruit is yellow in color and is edible. It’s shaped like a funnel and have disc-like black seeds. The stem of this plant is woody and is densely covered with spines.

Pereskia horrida

Pereskia horrida is a shrub that can grow up to 5m (16 ft) or more in height. It’s characterized by a woody, slender stem. Its roots are almost spherical and are sometimes semi-exposed out of the ground for decorative purposes. Leaves are attractive too. The elliptical leaves are halved by a central vein that stands out between the bright, shiny skin. This plant has robust, reddish spines protruding from the stem, particularly in more mature plants due to which the plant species is named so. Spring beautifies this plant with abundant inflorescences that are vibrantly colored.

Conclusion

Pereskia is a cactus genus that offers you the satisfaction of having a cactus in your garden and the beauty and colors that don’t generally come with cacti. As a bonus, they are low-maintenance plants and hardy to many adverse conditions like frost and drought. In short, if you want vibrant colors in your house or garden with minimum effort, choose Pereskia cacti and enjoy watching them grow. Read more of such interesting and informative articles on this website too and don’t forget to share your opinion in the comment section below.