Pereskia prickly belongs to the Cactus family, which includes 17 species of different plants. It belongs to the simplest and most ancient cacti, which still have leaf plates. The current cacti also had leaves that were once familiar to us, but under the influence of anhydrous and hot desert conditions, they gradually changed, after which they became thorns, while the stem began to act as leaves. To date, this genus is counted by species that take deciduous shrub forms, a type of tree that can grow up to 10 meters, as well as a climbing plant. Growth area - tropical and hot territories of both Americas.
Pereskia prickly, the photo of which can be seen in this article, got its name in honor of N.-K. de Peiresc, French botanist. Mentions of it are found for the first time at the beginning of the 18th century in the notes of C. Plumier. The plant can also be found under the following names: "cactus-rose" (due to flowers resembling a tea rose or wild rose), as well as "leaf cactus" (due to the presence of real leaves andstem that is covered with thorns).
Description of perescia prickly
This is an evergreen perennial that retains the form of a branched bush. She has a fairly massive rhizome. The upright stems become woody over time, covered with brown-red, shiny bark. Pereskia prickly in height can grow up to 10 meters, while the annual growth of new shoots is about 20 centimeters. The branches bear long, stiff spines and sessile, petiolate or alternate leaves.
The oval or egg-shaped sheet plate has a pointed end and a solid edge. The leaves along the central vein are slightly folded, they are painted in a rich green color. The surface of the leaves is covered with a shiny dense skin that protects them from excessive evaporation of moisture. The leaf has an average length of 3.5 cm.
During flowering, a large number of axillary flowers appear at the ends of the shoots. The pereskia flower, unlike other cacti, does not have a tube. It includes 8 lanceolate, wide-open petals and resembles more a rosehip blossom. At the same time, in the very center of the bud there is a lush core of a large number of yellow stamens. Interestingly, the flowers exude an intense citrus scent.
On the pereskia, after flowering, juicy fruits of a cone-shaped or rounded shape ripen. They are inedible! In this case, the skin of the fetus is yellow or beige, shiny. Inside the berry there are several black seeds of a large or mediumsize.
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In total, there are 17 types of prickly perescia. They all grow quite large under natural conditions, although when grown indoors they are very beautiful, compact bushes. Among flower growers, it is prickly pereskia that is most popular. This plant forms a spreading, tall bush. The stems are covered with hooked, short spines and quite strongly branched. In short-leaved leaves, the length is 9 centimeters, while the width is 4 centimeters. The foliage is bright green and quite stiff. The plant blooms with large flowers with a strong aroma. At the same time, the fruit resembles a gooseberry, as mentioned above.
Pereskia Godseff
This plant has thin stems, densely covered with bunches of black long spines. The oval-shaped leaves with a pointed edge are attached to the stem with short petioles. Six centimeters reaches the length of the sheet. The leaf plate is light green in color with a saturated central green part. On the reverse side of the sheet there are purple or pinkish hues. Small flowers are painted cream or white.
Pereskia Grandiflora
This plant forms a fairly tall shrub densely covered with large, rich green foliage. This species sheds most of its foliage when it gets colder. Large pink flowers at the ends of the branches form capitate inflorescences.
Pereskia orange
This plant has a slightly branched, tall growth with large leaves. They show a pattern created from veins. Bright-red large flowers resemble poppy heads with a diameter of 5 cm. The plant bears yellow cone-shaped berries that exude an intense pineapple smell.
Weber's Pereskia
This plant forms small bushes that are suitable for making bonsai. It is characterized by rich flowering that occurs throughout the summer. Small snow-white flowers young shoots cover very densely.
Growing
Reproduction of prickly perescia is carried out by rooting cuttings and seeds. For the latter method, boxes with a peat-sand mixture are prepared. It is better to sow in the very beginning of spring. To do this, the seeds are buried 1 cm into the ground, watered, and then covered with a film. In this case, the soil temperature should not fall below 20 ° C. After 2 weeks, the first shoots begin to appear. Shelter is removed above them, seedlings, when four true leaves appear, can be transplanted into separate pots without picking.
But for rooting cuttings, you need to use strong, while non-lignified branches. This procedure is usually carried out in the spring. The cuttings are cut with a knife. Each of them should have 1-2 nodes. After cutting, they are rooted in a mixture of perlite and peat and hidden under a film. The best air temperature during rooting is 25°C. After 2-3 weeks, roots appear, after which they can already grow without shelter. Very carefully, the seedlings are transplanted into pots so that fragile roots are not damaged.
Features of care
Care at home is not very complicated for peresia prickly. This photophilous plant loves southern window sills. In summer, it is worthwhile for the cactus to create a light shadow or move it from the windowsill deep into the room. Airing will also help the foliage to protect from sunburn. Pereskia is not afraid of drafts, therefore, it can be taken out to the garden or balcony for the summer. Additionally, you need to provide protection from showers.
When caring for prickly perechia, it should be borne in mind that the ideal air temperature for it is 24 ° C. In summer, the room should be ventilated as often as possible. The temperature is lowered to 16 ° C from mid-autumn, thus providing the plant with a dormant period. It should be remembered that for a flower, temperatures below 10 ° C will be fatal.
Pereskia is watered quite often in summer. Complete drying of only the top layer of the earth is allowed. All excess liquid should leave the pot freely. Stagnation of water in the pan is also undesirable, since it causes active reproduction of the fungus. Watering with a decrease in air temperature is carried out somewhat less frequently. If the pereskia begins to shed leaves abundantly, this may indicate a lack of water.
Pereskia prickly is resistant to dryness, while a warm shower or infrequent spraying will not harm it. Purified, soft water is used for irrigation.
During the period of active vegetation and flowering, the flower needs various top dressings. Use formulations suitable for cacti. Every monthwatering is combined with fertilization. It is necessary to control that nitrogen components are minimized, otherwise root rot is likely.
Peresky prickly has a fairly powerful root system, therefore, it will often have to be transplanted. The procedure is carried out in summer or spring by the method of transshipment of a clod of earth. Pots should be taken deep with a large layer of drainage. At the same time, a mixture of:is used for planting
- clay-turf land;
- leaf land;
- sand;
- leaf humus.
Pereskia has excellent immunity, while it can suffer from root rot, which occurs with excessive air humidity and an incorrectly selected watering regime. Moving to a drier environment and reducing the frequency of watering will help keep the plant from certain death. In addition, it is recommended to use effective antifungal drugs.
Spider mites, thrips and mealybugs periodically attack pereskia. Treatment with various insecticides will help to quickly cope with pests.
