Cereus peruvianus

Cereus peruvianus is a tall columnar cactus native to South America.  The species name, peruvianus indicates it is a native of Peru, but this was a horticultural error.  It is actually native to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.  Up until the 1920s, nearly every columnar cactus discovered was given the name Cereus.  Eventually they were split into several different genera but many still retain Cereus as part of their name, leading to much taxonomic confusion.
The columns often have a gray-green or bluish tint in full sun.  There seems to be some genetic variation in coloring, and color is more pronounced on new growth.

With age, they begin to branch and can form some spectacular specimens up to 20 feet tall.  They are very easy to grow and are now planted worldwide.
During the warm months of the year, large, 8-inch diameter, greenish-white flowers will open at night.  They have a delicate fragrance, and pollinated flowers will develop an edible fruit that turns pink or red when ripe.

Less common strains have yellow skin.  The ripe fruit ranges from the size of a large hen's egg to tennis ball size.  Inside, it has white flesh with black crunchy seeds.

The flesh has a granular texture that quickly turns mucilaginous when spooned or pressed.  The white flesh can be spooned out of the rind or the fruit can be sectioned and eaten in chunks.  Cereus peruvianus fruit has a delicate floral flavor very much reminiscent of the flower's fragrance.  The fruit of the Cereus and several other species of cactus is known as Pitaya.  It is being grown commercially in the deserts of Israel and is marketed as Koubo to distinguish it from other Pitayas.
Some Cereus are self-infertile, so if you're growing these for the fruit, try to obtain more than one genetic strain for cross-pollination.
This plant is sometimes also called Peruvian Apple or Night Blooming Cereus.  They grow well in containers and will flower and produce fruit if given adequate light.

Full sun is best for flower and fruit production, but the plants will grow quite well in shade or even as houseplants.  Cereus is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11.  This would make it hardy to about 20°F.

Happy 100th Birthday!

Today my grandmother is 100 years old!  In celebration, I'm listing some of the memories I have of her, me, and life on the farm in Iowa.

I remember:
Her enormous flower garden... especially the big calla lilies that had to be dug each fall and stored for the winter.  There was a big lattice archway leading to the entrance of the garden.
Gathering fresh eggs from the hen house.  The eggs were always so warm as I removed them from under the hens.
Butchering chickens.  I can still recall the smell of scalded feathers.
Eating her noodles made from scratch.  They have a completely different taste and texture than store-bought.
Skippy, the dog.
Listening to the "Farm Report" every day on the radio at noon (a listing of current market prices for corn, hogs, cattle, etc.)
Playing in the corn crib.  We kids would climb to the highest point on the pile of corn and slide down over the ears of corn to the bottom.
Feeding corn to the hogs and watching them go wild when I tossed a few ears into their pen.
Eating big plates of chicken and pot pies.  Delicious!
The big, lacy fern displayed on a tall wooden fern stand in the dining room.  It had been passed from her grandmother to her mother, to her, and then to my mother, and now I have a piece of it.  Once it got to Florida, it escaped from the pot and is now spreading unchecked under a couple of citrus trees.
The dry cistern where potatoes were stored for the winter.
The old two-story farm house and the various outbuildings where the machinery was stored.
Swimming in the creek on hot summer days.
Riding in a horse-drawn sleigh through the empty fields of snow at Christmas, with the whole family singing carols.  In later years, the horses and sleigh were replaced by tractor and wagon.
Sitting over the hot-air register in the floor of the kitchen, trying to thaw out after riding in the sleigh!

These are just a few of my recollections from the old days.
Happy 100th Birthday, Momo!  Thanks for all the fond memories!

Barleria cristata (Philippine Violet)

Barleria cristata is a carefree shrub that blooms in both spring and fall.  The 1.5-inch diameter, purple flowers nearly cover the plant when in full bloom.  Plants grow 4-6 foot tall and wide.  Tall stems tend to arch over, so keep them pruned shorter if you want a more compact look.

There is also a white flowered variety, and I used to have a pink one too, but it died out one winter.
Flowering will be best in full sun, but I have some in a considerable amount of shade that still produce some flowers.  The white-flowered variety especially, really stands out in the shade.

There is a variegated-leaf form that has spectacular foliage but few blooms.  This one is also good to brighten shady spots.

Barleria easily spreads by seed so it is preferred for mixed borders or as a hedgerow, where stray seedlings won't be a nuisance.
Barleria cristata, also known as Philippine Violet, is a native of India and southeast Asia, and is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11.  There may be some dieback on exposed plants during severe winters, but mine fared well at 26°F last winter.  Even in colder locations, the plant could be grown as a fall-flowering perennial.

An extract of Barleria leaves has been used in traditional medicines for the treatment of anemia, toothache, and inflammation.  Scientific studies have confirmed that it has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

What's New - October 2010

What's New is my monthly update on all the garden happenings that have slipped through the cracks.  It is also part of the Tuesday Garden Party hosted by An Oregon Cottage.
Cooler weather has finally arrived and this is the first week with daytime highs less than 90°F and nights less than 70°F.  It feels great!  The Night-Blooming Jasmine also happens to be in full bloom right now, and with the windows open it's like sleeping in a flower garden!

The shorter days and cooler nights have signaled to the goldfish that winter is on the way and they have developed huge appetites prior to the dormant season.  Whenever I pass by the fish pond, their gaping mouths appear to say "Feed me!  Feed me!".

Short days have also triggered formation of buds and a few blooms on the fall and winter blooming species of Hibiscus.  I have four species that will all be bursting into bloom in the next month.

The growing season is nearly over but I'm still finding plants just starting growth after last winter's freeze.  Last week the first leaf appeared on my Zamioculcas.

Just yesterday I found the first sprout on a Zamia maritima, ten months after the freeze!

The creatures that dig in the night have been having a field day (or night) with my garden.  They always root through the mulch and loose dirt looking for something to eat, but now they've suddenly gotten interested in my potted plants.  I go out in the mornings and there will be several overturned pots with plants scattered, roots exposed, and soil everywhere.  One would think that they would consume everything edible as they dump the pots but apparently not.  After scooping up the dirt and repositioning the plants, I often go out the next morning to find the exact same pots overturned again!

A likely suspect

Harvest Monday - October

Today's harvest holds lots of deliciousness!  In the photo above, clockwise from upper left, we have Pineapple, Persimmon, Key Lime, Persian Lime, Avocado, and Passionfruit.
Big harvests are coming in for Starfruit,

and Pecans.

The squirrels have already been "testing" some of the pecans to see if they're ready.
Also on the menu this week:  Jaboticaba, Glycosmis, and Limequat.
Click on any of the highlighted fruits for a complete profile.  It's all good!

Harvest Monday is the first Monday of every month on this blog.  To see what's ready in gardens everywhere, go to Daphne's Dandelions, host blog of the Harvest Monday meme.

Creature Feature - Gaudy Sphinx moth

This is a Gaudy Sphinx moth (Eumorpha labruscae), with a wingspan of over 4.5 inches!  In their larval form they feed on grapevine.
The First Friday Creature Feature is held right here on the first Friday of every month.
Join in on this fun and educational event!  Write about some creature living in your garden, include a link to my Creature Feature post, and then submit your info below.
Thanks for participating!

Mother Nature's Artistry

This month's photo is Moringa leaves covered in dew.
Mother Nature's Artistry appears on this blog on the last day of every month.

Thevetia peruviana

Thevetia peruviana is a large yellow-flowered shrub native to Central America.  It grows about 6 foot tall and wide, with a rounded to upright habit.  The two-inch yellow flowers unfurl from the ends of the new growth during warm months of the year.  Blooms are frequently visited by hummingbirds and butterflies, especially Gulf Fritillaries and Sulphurs.

It is a member of the same plant family as Oleander (Apocynaceae) but belongs to a different genus.  The foliage and growth habit are similar to Oleander, but this species is not plagued by the Oleander caterpillar.  The plant is sometimes known as Yellow Oleander.

Thevetia is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11.  The plant is fairly cold-hardy and will withstand temperatures in the low 20° F  range for brief periods.  Last winter, temps in the mid 20's caused some twigs to die back but others were unaffected.
When flowers are pollinated, they develop a fleshy, green fruit.

After turning black and falling to the ground, the fleshy part rots away leaving a dry nut containing two seeds. These nuts give the plant its other name of  "Lucky Nut".

The 1.5 inch long nuts are sometimes strung together and used as body ornamentation.

Bauhinia galpinii (Red Orchid Bush)

Bauhinia galpinii is unlike most other members of the genus.  This one is a sprawling large shrub, rarely getting more than 10 feet tall.  The width will be larger than the height.  It has a long flowering period, ranging from late spring through mid-autumn.
The coral-red flowers appear in clusters on new growth and are very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, especially Swallowtails and Gulf Fritillaries.  As the 3-inch diameter blooms age, they fade to a salmon color.  Occasionally, pollinated flowers will form a flat, dry seed pod.

Leaves are two-lobed, typical of the Bauhinia genus.  If planted next to other trees, the new growth becomes vine-like and spirals upward around erect twigs.  Because of this habit, they can also be trained on trellises or arbors. I have one that has nearly engulfed a holly tree up to about 40 feet!

This species is native to South Africa and flowering will be best if the plant receives sun at least half of the day.  It is drought-tolerant once established.

Bauhinia galpinii is recommended for USDA Zones 9b to 11.  There may be some dieback during the most severe freezes but this is a vigorous plant that recovers quickly.

Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora)

Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) is a fascinating fruit native to Brazil.  The flowers and fruit form directly on the trunk and branches of the tree.

It's possible for fruit to form down the trunk all the way to the ground.

The white blooms appear sporadically throughout the year, or nearly continuously, depending on the individual plant and growing conditions. They are sweetly fragrant and detectable several feet away from the plant.

The one-inch diameter purple-black fruits are ready to harvest three weeks after pollination.  Fruits have a thick, tart skin and a sweet, juicy pulp with a complex grape-like flavor.  They can be eaten fresh or made into jams, jellies, or wine.

Excess fruits can be frozen whole for later use.  Freezing also helps break down the thick skin, making it more palatable.  The skin of fresh fruit is high in tannins, and whether or not to eat the skin seems to be a personal preference.  If large quantities are consumed, it is recommended to discard skins.  Biting or squeezing the fruit will cause the skin to split and eject the pulp into your mouth.  In Brazil, a decoction of sun-dried skins is used to treat asthma, diarrhea, and dysentery.
Birds, raccoons, and opossums also like Jaboticabas, so pick fruit as soon as it is ripe.

This plant is slow-growing but will start to bear fruit when it is about 8 foot tall with a trunk diameter of about 3.5 to 4 inches.  It may take 10 years or more to reach this size.  In Florida, the tree will eventually mature at about 15 feet.  They naturally grow with multiple trunks, which should be allowed to remain for maximum fruit production.  When young, Jaboticabas have an almost shrubby appearance, although this can vary from tree to tree.

As they mature, and the trunk diameter increases, the tree becomes much more productive. 

Myrciaria cauliflora is fairly cold-hardy and will tolerate temperatures in the mid-lower 20° F range for short periods.  They grow best in full sun to part shade.  The root system is shallow and trees will benefit from supplemental irrigation during dry periods.  Trees are self-pollinating but fruit production will be increased with cross-pollination.
The new growth is reddish in color,

and the bark of the trunk and larger branches peels off in chunks as it grows.

This fruit would certainly be much more popular if not for the slow growth habit, but it's definitely worth the wait!