Cereus hildmannianus (Queen of the night)

Cereus hildmannianus K. Schum.

Queen of the night, Peruvian apple

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Caryophyllidae	Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
Order	Caryophyllales	Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
Family	Cactaceae	Succulent (water-storing) plants, often spiny
Genus	Cereus	From Latin cereus for “waxy”
Species	hildmannianus	For German plantsman Heinrich Hildmann, a cactus specialist

About plant names...

Although saguaros probably take the all time award as icons in the world of cacti, having appeared in countless westerns, Peruvian apples also look more like trees than do most cacti. They are native to Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and southern, eastern and central Brazil. They prefer thin, rocky soils in pampas grasslands or seasonal semi-deciduous forests, at elevations of 2297-3281' (700-1000 m).

Plants: Branching trunks can reach 33' (10 m) in height, with trunks up to 6" (15 cm) in diameter. Trunks and branches have four to six well-defined ribs, with small areoles along the rib edges. Stems are constricted at various points, dividing each into segments. Stems usually lack spines, but may develop them as the plant ages.

Flowers: Stunning white flowers, ringed by sepals, are up to 10-12" (25-30 cm) around. The sepals are often tipped with red.

Fruits: Fruits are round or oval, and red or sometimes yellow, with a white pulp containing small black seeds.

Edibility: Fruits and flowers are edible and nutritious.

Medical: “Extracts are used in folk medicine for weight loss, reducing cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, as diuretic and cardiotonic, and to treat various diseases, including pulmonary disorders, rheumatism, and in topical treatment for wounds and lithiasis.” (ScienceDirect.com.)

Online References:

Cereus hildmannianus on tropical.theferns.info

Cereus hildmannianus on Wikipedia

Cereus hildmannianus on www.sciencedirect.com

Cereus hildmannianus on Wikimedia Commons

Cereus hildmannianus on CactiGuide.com

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland
≈ 14 × 21" (34 × 52 cm)

Cereus peruvianus

Cereus peruvianus auct. non (L.) Mill.

Cereus uruguayanus auct. non Kiesling

Piptanthocereus peruvianus auct. non (L.) Riccob.

Stenocereus peruvianus auct. non Kiesling nom. illeg.

Cereus hildmannianus description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 28 Dec 2020.

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland
≈ 10 × 9" (25 × 23 cm)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland
≈ 21 × 31" (52 × 78 cm)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland
≈ 12 × 17" (29 × 44 cm)

4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland
≈ 21 × 31" (52 × 78 cm)

Range:

About this map...