Plants Belonging to the Genus 'Cereus'

Cereus

There are about 40 species of Cereus in the Caribbean and South America. The classification of Cereus has been in flux for years, and the exact number of species varies from author to author. Generally they are tall, columnar, easy growing cacti. The varieties coming from the Caribbean or from the equatorial parts of South America often require heat in winter. The areoles of the Cereus don't have long hair.

The flowers do not have areoles or spines, but they have a few scales. They are generally large, white, either funnel or trumpet-shaped. They are followed by a yellow or red fruit, generally edible containing black seeds.

They are easily propagated by cuttings, but are also easy to grow from seeds, although then they are much slower to grow.

Species and varieties
Cereus ambiguus (Junco Espinoso, Reina de la Noche) synonym of Peniocereus serpentinus
Cereus andalgalensis (Red Torch Cactus) synonym of Echinopsis huascha
Cereus articulatus (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Cereus candicans synonym of Echinopsis candicans
Cereus candicans var. courantii synonym of Echinopsis candicans
Cereus celsianus (Old Man of the Andes) synonym of Oreocereus celsianus
Cereus ctenoides (Texas Rainbow Hedgehog, Yellow pitaya) synonym of Echinocereus dasyacanthus
Cereus dasyacanthus (Texas Rainbow Hedgehog, Yellow pitaya) synonym of Echinocereus dasyacanthus
Cereus dumortieri (Candelabra) synonym of Isolatocereus dumortieri
Cereus dyckii (Pitaya, Xoconochtli, Jonocostle) synonym of Stenocereus stellatus
Cereus edulis Weber (Gray Ghost Organ Pipe, Pitayo) synonym of Stenocereus pruinosus
Cereus engelmannii (Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus) synonym of Echinocereus engelmannii
Cereus gemmatus (Central Mexico Organ Pipe, Organo, Jarritos) synonym of Pachycereus marginatus
Cereus geometrizans (Blue Candle, Whortleberry Cactus) synonym of Myrtillocactus geometrizans
Cereus giganteus (Saguaro, Sahuaro) synonym of Carnegiea gigantea
Cereus gladiatus synonym of Echinopsis candicans
Cereus greggii (Night Blooming Cereus, Reina de la Noche) synonym of Peniocereus greggii
Cereus greggii var. transmontanus (Night Blooming Cereus, Reina de la Noche) synonym of Peniocereus greggii var. transmontanus
Cereus hildmannianus (Queen of the Night)
Cereus hildmannianus subsp. xanthocarpus (Queen of the Night) synonym of Cereus hildmannianus
Cereus huascha (Red Torch Cactus) synonym of Echinopsis huascha
Cereus imbricatus synonym of Cylindropuntia imbricata
Cereus marginatus (Central Mexico Organ Pipe, Organo, Jarritos) synonym of Pachycereus marginatus
Cereus martinii synonym of Harrisia martinii
Cereus martinii var. perviridis synonym of Harrisia martinii
Cereus mieckleyanus (Senita, Whisker Cactus) synonym of Pachycereus schottii
Cereus milesimus (Queen of the Night) synonym of Cereus hildmannianus
Cereus monacanthus Cels.ex K.Schum. synonym of Harrisia martinii
Cereus multiplex (Easter Lily Cactus) synonym of Echinopsis oxygona
Cereus munzii (Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus) synonym of Echinocereus engelmannii
Cereus neonesioticus (Queen of the Night) synonym of Cereus hildmannianus
Cereus oxygonu (Easter Lily Cactus) synonym of Echinopsis oxygona
Cereus pachanoi (San Pedro Cactus) synonym of Echinopsis pachanoi
Cereus pectinatus (Comb Hedgehog) synonym of Echinocereus pectinatus
Cereus pectinatus v. rigidissimus (Arizona Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus, Cabeza de Viejo) synonym of Echinocereus rigidissimus
Cereus peruvianus L. (misapplied) (Queen of the Night) synonym of Cereus hildmannianus
Cereus perviridis synonym of Harrisia martinii
Cereus pringlei (Cardón, Elephant Cactus, Mexican Giant Cactus) synonym of Pachycereus pringlei
Cereus pruinosus (Gray Ghost Organ Pipe, Pitayo) synonym of Stenocereus pruinosus
Cereus pugioniferus (Blue Candle, Whortleberry Cactus) synonym of Myrtillocactus geometrizans
Cereus santiaguensis (Golden Torch Cereus) synonym of Echinopsis spachiana
Cereus sargentianus (Senita, Whisker Cactus) synonym of Pachycereus schottii
Cereus schottii (Senita, Whisker Cactus) synonym of Pachycereus schottii
Cereus schottii var. australis (Senita, Whisker Cactus) synonym of Pachycereus schottii
Cereus senilis (Old Man Cactus, Old Man of Mexico, Cabeza de Viejo) synonym of Cephalocereus senilis
Cereus serpentinus (Junco Espinoso, Reina de la Noche) synonym of Peniocereus serpentinus
Cereus spachianus (Golden Torch Cereus) synonym of Echinopsis spachiana
Cereus splendens (Junco Espinoso, Reina de la Noche) synonym of Peniocereus serpentinus
Cereus stellatus (Pitaya, Xoconochtli, Jonocostle) synonym of Stenocereus stellatus
Cereus syringacanthus synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus var. syringacanthus
Cereus terscheckii (Cardon Grande) synonym of Echinopsis terscheckii
Cereus trollii (Old Man of the Mountain) synonym of Oreocereus trollii
Cereus xanthocarpus (Queen of the Night) synonym of Cereus hildmannianus

Gardening In Arizona.com Home Page | List of All the Plants | More plants of the Cactaceae family