Pereskia is one of the oldest cacti. The ancestors of modern cacti also had “normal” green leaves, which, as the plants adapted to the conditions of the arid desert climate, turned into thorns, and the stem took over the functions of the leaves. The Peres genus has about 20 species that live in warm and dry regions – from Mexico in the North to the tropics of South America in the south.
Pereskia grandiflora (Pereskia grandiflora). Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Yercaud-elango
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Description of pereski
Pereskia) Is an ancient genus of cacti with foliage. Most peres are large shrubs or low-growing trees with strong thorny stems. In places where they grow, they are used as green hedges. They also have edible fruits.
Pereskia are easy to care for, grow quickly and have a strong root system. Cactus lovers often use pereskia as a rootstock for grafting other cacti, especially zygocactus is grafted onto pereskia.
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Features of growing pereskii
Location
Pereskia is photophilous, it is better to keep it on the windowsills of the southern side of the apartment, shading it during especially hot hours so that burn spots do not appear on the leaves. In the shade, the pereskia stops growing and dies. Pereskia is thermophilic. It grows well at a daytime temperature of 23-25 โโยฐ C. At night, the air temperature should be several degrees lower. In winter, the plant is placed in a warm room. The fleshy, thick leaves are very sensitive to cold.
Lighting for crossings
The Pereskii need a bright light.
Watering pereski
During the period of intensive growth, the plant is watered abundantly, but making sure that the soil has time to dry out before watering.
Air humidity
Moderate. The leaves look best if the plant is periodically sprayed with soft water, but the pereskia also tolerates dry air.
Reproduction of pereskii
Propagated by stem cuttings cut in spring or summer. Cuttings root most quickly at a temperature of 25-28 ยฐ C. Cuttings can also be rooted in water.
Transplant transfer
Pereskia requires fertile and permeable soil, for which they make up a mixture of garden, leafy soil and coarse sand, adding a little charcoal to it. The fast-growing pereskia is transplanted annually in the spring, older plants – every two to three years.
Useful properties of pereski
Cactus lovers often use pereskia as a rootstock for grafting other cacti, especially Schlumberger is often grafted onto pereskia.
Pereskia prickly, or Pereskia prickly, or Barbados gooseberry (lat.Pereskia aculeata). @ Kauderwelsch
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Caring for pereski
Pereskii tolerate direct sunlight, grow successfully on southern windows. They can grow on western and northern windows with sufficient light, but they bloom extremely rarely.
It must be remembered that in case of prolonged cloudy weather in the autumn-winter period, or after acquiring a plant to direct sunlight, the plant should be taught gradually.
Purchased copies and copies that stood in the shade (or after winter) should not be immediately exposed to the sun’s rays, you should gradually accustom them to them.
In the summer, it is useful for better health and hardening of the plant, to take it to the open air (balcony, garden). In this case, the plant should be kneaded so that it is protected from precipitation. If you do not have the opportunity to keep the plants outdoors in the summer, you should regularly ventilate the room where the pereski is kept.
In the autumn-winter period, the plant is also kept in good lighting. In the spring, with an increase in the level of illumination, they gradually accustom to more light, in order to avoid burns.
Pereski temperature is preferred around 22-23 ยฐ C, with fresh air supply. In autumn, the temperature is lowered to 15 ยฐ C, the plant is prepared for a dormant period. In winter, the plant begins a dormant period – at this time it is advisable to keep it at a cool temperature (12-16 ยฐ C), not lower than 10 ยฐ C. Provide good lighting, and regularly ventilate the area where the pereski is located.
Watering regularly in spring and summer, as the upper layer of the substrate dries up, decreases in autumn, and rarely in winter, just so that the leaves do not fly around. Do not forget that excessive watering is detrimental to overexposure.
Air humidity does not play a significant role.
From April to September, it is necessary to regularly, twice a month, feed the plants with half concentration of fertilizers for cacti; during the dormant period they do not feed them in order to avoid unwanted growth. It must be remembered that in mineral fertilizers the level of nitrogen should be less than the other elements, since an excess of nitrogen can provoke rotting of the roots, normally you can adhere to this ratio: nitrogen (N) -9, phosphorus (P) -18, potassium (K) – 24. It is better to refrain from using organic fertilizers.
The plant requires formative pruning, which is carried out in the spring. The resulting cuttings can be used for propagation.
Young plants are reloaded several times a year – as they grow. Adults – as needed, when the roots fill the pot. An earthen mixture for pereski is suitable fertile, loose with the addition of humus (leaf, clay-sod, humus, sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1). Since the root system is powerful, the peres should be planted in large, wide pots. Provide good drainage at the bottom of the pot. After the transplant, as a rule, a sharp spurt in growth follows.
Pereskia is propagated mainly by ripe, but not lignified cuttings rooted in a moist, loose substrate.
Pereskia Godseffa (lat.Pereskia godseffiana). @ migette2
Types of transfer
Pereskia grandiflora (Pereskia grandiflora)
Synonym: Rhodocactus grandifolius, Cactus grandifolius. In natural conditions, they reach up to 5 meters in height, the trunk reaches 20 cm in diameter. Leaves are leathery and shiny, falling off in winter at temperatures below 10 ยฐ C. There are a lot of thorns on the stem, sometimes reaching 2-3 cm in length. Pereskia has pink flowers, collected in inflorescences.
Pereskia godseffiana
Synonym: Cactus bleo Kunth. The plant reaches a height of up to 5 meters in nature. The leaves are large, the pattern of veins is clearly visible on them. Blooms in summer. Bright orange-red flowers, up to 5-6 cm in size, resembling small roses, open in the late afternoon. Inedible, but expressive, bright yellow cone-shaped fruits with a smell reminiscent of pineapple. By regular pruning, the plant can be made compact.
Pereskia aculeata
A plant from the American tropics, where these plants are used as hedges or for obtaining edible fruits – from which it is named “Barbados gooseberry”. This species of pereskii has spread from the southeastern United States of America (Florida) to the forest and steppe regions of Brazil and Paraguay. A bushy and climbing plant, reaches a length of 10 m.
This species, considered one of the primitive representatives of cacti, has a fleshy, abundantly branching stem with a diameter of 1,5 cm and lanceolate or oval leaves, dark green, up to 9 cm long and about 4 cm wide.Over time, the leaves in the lower part of the stem fall off and brown areoles with 1-3 straight, hard brown spines remain. In the lower part of the areoles, under the base of the leaves, there are two shorter, curved spines.
In late summer – early autumn, cupped, yellowish-white with a pink tinge, slightly fragrant flowers with a diameter of 2,5-4,5 cm bloom on young shoots of the pereskii.Fruits are edible, yellow, 2 cm long.
Pereskia godseffiana
A number of sources mention it as a separate species. But most authors attribute it to the P. aculeata var. Godseffiana variety.
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Possible difficulties in growing pereskii
Lack of gain. The reason is insufficient watering in summer or waterlogged soil in winter. This also happens in the absence of timely transplantation and abundant summer watering.
With a lack of light, especially in summer, the plant stretches, the length of internodes increases.
Shriveled end of the stem, spots of soft rot at the bottom.
The reason is waterlogging of the soil, especially in winter.
Damaged by: mealybug, spider mite, scabbard.
