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Cereus hildmannianus - K.Schum.

Common Name Hildmania cactus, Hedge cactus
Family Cactaceae
USDA hardiness 9-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Pampas grassland, seasonal semi-deciduous forests; principally found on plateaux at elevations from 700 - 1,000 metres; showing a preference for thin, rocky soils[625 ].
Range S. America - Argentina, Uruguay. Paraguay, Bolivia, southern, eastern and central Brazil.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Cereus hildmannianus Hildmania cactus, Hedge cactus


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Cereus hildmannianus Hildmania cactus, Hedge cactus
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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of cone
Cereus hildmannianus is an evergreen Tree growing to 9 m (29ft) by 4.5 m (14ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. The flowers are pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Cereus milesimus E.C.Rost. Cereus peruvianus auct

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit  Stem
Edible Uses:

Fruit - raw[625 ]. The tasty fruit has a sweet, fleshy pulp[301 , 625 ]. The fruit peel is sometimes candied[301 ]. The orangish-yellow fruit is up to 12cm long and 10cm wide[625 ]. The young stems are sometimes eaten[301 ].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Containers  Hedge  Pioneer  Wood

Agroforestry Uses: The plant is a pioneer of open ground in its native area and could be a suitable, if slow-growing, a pioneer for semi-arid areas generally[625 , K ]. Other Uses: The wood is regular-grained, very light and coarse-textured. It is very susceptible to wood-eating organisms. It can only be used to make light boxes and models such as model aeroplanes[625 ]. A potted plant.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Food Forest  Hedge

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

A plant of the warm temperate to tropical regions. Plants are quite hardy when conditions are fairly dry, able to tolerate occasional temperatures as low as -10c[423 ]. Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil[423 , 625 ]. Prefers a pH lower than 6[200 ]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[625 ]. There are reports that the plant has escaped from cultivation and become invasive in Hawaii[305 ]. Newly planted trees are slow to establish and grow away[625 ]. Good in pots.

Carbon Farming

  • Agroforestry Services: Living fence  Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Sow the seed in a semi-shaded position, spreading the seed on the surface and watering it into the soil. Germination rates are usually low with the seed sprouting within 30 - 50 days[625 ]. Cuttings. One of the easiest cactus to propagate by cuttings[423 ].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Kaktus hildmannia, Mandacaru, Tuna, Tunam, Urumbeva, Hedge Cactus, Queen of the Night, Andes Organ Pipe, Peruvian Apple, Spiny Tree Cactus.

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Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Argentina, Asia, Brazil*, Indonesia, SE Asia, South America

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

There are reports that the plant has escaped from cultivation and become invasive in Hawaii[305 ].

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Least Concern

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Acanthocereus tetragonusPitahaya. Barbed-wire cactus.Tree5.0 10-12 SLMND303
Cereus repandusPeruvian apple cactusTree10.0 9-12 SLMNDM301
Hylocereus megalanthusYellow PitayaShrub2.0 10-12 FLMHNDM432
Hylocereus undatusDragon Fruit, Red PitayaShrub4.0 10-12 FLMHSNDM402
Pachycereus hollianusBaboso, AcompesPerennial4.0 9-11 MLMNDM003
Stenocereus griseusCactaceae. Pitaya, Organpipe cactusTree7.0 10-12 MLMND302
Stenocereus stellatusJoconostle cactus, Baja organ pipe cactusShrub2.0 9-11 MLMSNDM302

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Author

K.Schum.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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