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Sculpted wonder
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This sweet-scented cactus variety will look good as a contrast plant in any collection
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CACTI OF the genus Cereus form ribbed columns when growing in the wild, but much smaller in pot. Originally from South America and West Indies, they are much admired for their sculptured columnar shapes. The plant got its name from Latin Cereus, which means a wax taper. These plants contrast impressively with other plant varieties in any collection. These fast growing desert plants can reach a height of 1-1½ meters in five to six years after which they may produce long funnel-shaped flowers in summer, followed by red or yellow fruits with black seeds inside. Flowers are sweetly scented, open at night and fade early in the morning. Cereus peruvianuc (apple cactus) bears five to eight ribs, seven spines to each areole. The spines are nearly brown. Petals of the 15-cm-long flowers are tinged with brownish green.
Cereus jamacaru is a bluish green single column that branches out in the wild but unlikely to do so as a potted plant. It has six or eight broad prominent notched ribs, separated by deep narrow indentations. Areoles bear cluster of 15 yellowish spines. Flowers produced on mature plants are 20-30 cm long and have white petals tinged with pinkish brown.
Grow these cacti in the fullest possible sunlight. It is important to turn the pots to get even light. Fresh air and sunlight will help improve their colour and length of their spines. Use peat-based soil mixed with coarse sand. Water moderately. Propagation is by seeds or by means of section of stems. Use fertiliser once in every two weeks. These are fast growing and may need to be moved into larger pots at least once a year.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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