The stunning and vibrant flowers add an allure to these hardy plants and ensure their species continuation in their harsh environments.

In this post, you’ll learn about seven types of cactus that produce beautiful white flowers. Most of these flowers may not last long, but when they appear, their imposing presence and allure are bound to take your breath away.

1. Easter Lily Cactus (Echinopsis subdenudata)

• Other names: Pink Easter lily, Night-blooming hedge-hogs, Sea-urchin cactus
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Easter Lily Cactus (Echinopsis subdenudata) is a fast-growing clump or mat-forming plant that can reach a height of 30 cm. The grayish-green stems are short, rounded ribbed with black-to-yellowish brown straight spines. 

The perennial cactus produces showy and fragrant funnel-shaped white flowers about 10 cm in diameter. As the name implies, they bloom around Easter and only open up at night.

However, the blooms only last a day or two before they wither.

2. Torch Cactus (Trichocereus spachianus)

• Other names: White Torch cactus, Golden Torch cereus
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Torch Cactus  (Trichocereus spachianus) is a perennial plant that can live for many years in arid areas. It has a cylindrical green body with upright columns reaching up to 2m in height. The stems are about 5-6 cm in diameter and covered with 1-2 cm golden spikes. 

The torch cactus produces showy white funnel-shaped flowers about 15 cm wide and 20 cm long. They bloom in the spring and only open up during the night. One plant may have several flowers, creating a lovely display.

3. Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

• Other names: Dutchman’s Pipe cactus, Lady of the Night, Orchid cactus
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Queen of the Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) is a fast-growing cactus that can reach 3m in height. The plant has flat, leaf-like, and spineless branches about 40 cm long. Unlike most cacti, this plant grows on rocks or on other plants for support.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum produces large, fragrant white flowers about 20 cm wide and 30 cm long. The lily-like flowers bloom in late spring to early summer for only one night a year and wither by the next morning.  

4. San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi)

• Other names: Trichocereus pachanoi
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a fast-growing cactus that can reach 6m in height. It produces light to dark green ribbed columnar stems about 6-15 cm wide with small spines. The branches emerge from the base, creating a tree-like appearance. 

Between June and July, Echinopsis pachanoi produces large, tubular, and highly fragrant white flowers about 20 cm wide and 19-24 cm long. The short-lived blooms open at night and close at dawn for one to two days.

5. The Whitehaired Crown Cactus (Rebutia albiflora)

• Other Names: White-flowered rebutia, Aylostera albiflora  
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

The Whitehaired Crown Cactus (Rebutia albiflora) is a small cactus that reaches about 5 cm in height. The globular plant produces green flattened stems covered with wooly areoles bearing numerous spines.

Rebutia albiflora produces large funnel-shaped white flowers about 2.5 cm wide on the lower part of the stems. They extend up and over the cactus, creating a spectacular display.

6. Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus)

• Other names: Night Blooming cactus, Belle of the night, Red pitaya, Hylocereus undatus
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial

Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a vine-like climbing cactus that can grow up to 6m with proper support. Its green wavy-ribbed stems can be climbing, creeping, or clambering with 1-3 spines, although sometimes it may be spineless. 

It’s the second most commercially important cactus species for its exotic and delicious dragon fruit. 

Hylocereus undatus also boasts the largest flowers in the Cactaceae family. The bell-shaped white flowers are about 15-17 cm wide and 25-35 cm long. 

They open up at dusk for pollination by bats or moths and only last for one night. 

7. Cereus hildmannianus

• Other names: Hedge cactus, Hildmann’s cereus, Apple’s cactus, Andes Organ pipe
• Family: Cactaceae
• Annual or Perennial: Perennial 

Cereus hildmannianus is an imposing tree-like cactus with many branches that can grow up to 7-9m in height. It has bluish-green, cylindrical, and ribbed stems about 15 cm wide with marginal spines.

The cactus produces impressive and fragrant white funnel-shaped flowers about 25-30 cm long. They open up at dusk until dawn and last for only one day. 

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post 7 Types of Cactus That Produce Beautiful White Flowers appeared first on InsightWeeds.

The plant can grow up to 4m tall, and the branch segments are 25 cm long and 6cm wide.

Cane cactus is drought-resistant and can form patches along roadsides and on the edges of disturbed land.

Scientific Classification

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Phylum: Spermatophyta
• Subphylum: Angiospermae
• Class: Dicotyledonae
• Order: Caryophyllales
• Family: Cactaceae
• Genus: Austrocylindropuntia
• Species: Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica
• Other Names: Velvet cactus, Prohibition cactus, and Golden-spined cereus

Nativity and Distribution

Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica is native to Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. The plant can also be found in the following areas:

• Morocco
• Eritrea
• The Canary Islands
• Ethiopia
• Algeria
• New Zealand
• South Africa 
• Australia

Physical Appearance

• Leaves: Leaves are reduced to small white spines.
• Flowers: Pink to red flowers with numerous tepals.
• Fruits: Green-yellow fruits.
• Stems: Fleshy stems that are bluishgreen.
• Roots: Fibrous and shallow roots.

The cane cactus flowers measure up to 7 cm long and have elongated pericarpels with glochid-bearing areoles. 

The plant’s stem is fleshy and covered in rhomboid tubercles and areoles from which white spikes about 1 cm long emerge. 

In addition, the stem is cylinder-shaped with a length of 15-50 cm and a diameter of 3-4 cm.

Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica does not have true leaves; the plant’s leaves have been reduced to white spines to adapt to hot environments.

Life Cycle/Reproduction/Dispersal  

• Life Cycle: Perennial.
• Seeds: Round to oval seeds covered with a hard coat. 
• Climate: Grows best in temperatures between 70°F and 90°F
• Dispersal: Plant’s seeds are dispersed by birds and animals 

The cane cactus can reproduce vegetatively when stem fragments break off the plant, take root, and regrow.

The stem fragments can survive long periods of drought before they produce shoots and are spread by vehicles, animals, machinery, and water.

Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica also reproduces sexually when birds and animals eat the plant’s fruit and disperse the seeds in their droppings.

Uses

1. The cane cactus is used as an ornamental plant due to its unique appearance.
2. The plant’s fruit is a food source for some birds and animals.

Impact on Environment

Cane cactus has been considered invasive in Europe, Australia, and South Africa. It outcompetes native plants for resources such as water and nutrients.

Dense thickets of the plant can hinder movement. The plant’s spines can injure humans and livestock and damage infrastructure, such as vehicles.

Control

The following methods can control Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica:

1. Physical control 

Cane cactus seedlings and young plants can be dug out using a hoe. However, one must ensure the whole plant is removed, and any parts that may have fallen off are collected and burned.

Slashing and ploughing are ineffective control methods because they can further establish stem fragments, which easily regrow.  

2. Chemical control

Post-emergent herbicide options that control cane cactus include:

• Triclopyr  + Picloram can be applied as a cut stump on cut stems to prevent plant regrowth.
• Triclopyr + Picloram + Aminopyralid applied as a foliar spray on actively growing plants.
• Aminopyralid + Picloram can be applied as a cut stump treatment and foliar spray.

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post Cane Cactus (Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica) appeared first on InsightWeeds.

It is a spiny succulent plant with erect green multi-stems that branch profusely at the base. This cactus species can grow up to 2 meters tall and reproduce from the base. 

In the savannah, the plant grows under trees, barring shade for both domestic and wild animals. It can also injure grazing animals. 

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Family: Cactaceae
• Subfamily: Cactoideae
• Tribe: Trichocereeae
• Order: Caryophyllales
• Genus: Echinopsis
• Species: Trichocereus spachianus
• Common Names: Echinopsis spachiana, Golden Torch Cereus, and White Torch Cactus

Nativity and Distribution

Torch cactus is native to Argentina in South America. Other areas where the plant is found include:

• South America: 
  • Northern Chile
  • Bolivia
  • Ecuador
  • Peru
• South Africa: 
  • Eastern Cape
  • Northern Cape
  • Western Cape
  • Free State
• Australia

Physical Characteristics

• Leaves: Trichocereus spachianus does not have true leaves. It has areoles which are modified structures from which spines, flowers, and new shoots emerge.
• Fruits: After flowering, the plant produces small, round fruits that are red when mature and covered in hair-like spines.
• Stems: The stem is columnar, ribbed, segmented, upright, and varies in color from green to bluish-green to a slight yellow hue. 
• At the stem surface are vertical ribs with each rib dotted by areoles from which the spines and flowers emerge.
• Flowers: Trichocereus spachianus produces white showy flowers up to 20 cm long. They appear in spring and are mostly seen at night.
• Roots: Torch cactus has a fibrous root system. The roots spread out near the surface of the soil. They are sensitive to oxygen deficiency. If the roots are in soil that is poorly permeable in air and water, root rot can occur.

The plant has a cylindrical green body with 1-2 cm long golden spines, a columnar habit, and the branches ascend parallel to the main stem.

The areoles are covered with yellow wool that turns gray as the plant ages. Initially, the straight spines are a reddish yellow, later fading to gray as they age.

Plant Adaptation

Torch cactus is a frost-resistant plant though temperatures should not go below 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. If the seed is grown in soil with too much humus it tends to rot. 

The plant grows in partial shade, though it can also tolerate full sun. It needs to reach a certain size before it can flower, and it tends to produce very large flowers.

It reduces its water requirement as an adaptation and as a succulent plant, Trichocereus spachianus is adapted to its environment in the following ways:

• It contains sunken stomata to reduce the loss of water.
• It covers the ground to reduce evaporation from the ground.
• The small leaves do not attain high temperatures during the day like large leaves.
• It has thick stems to store water.
• Its leaves are waxy to prevent evapotranspiration.
• It can handle no water in winter.

Reproduction, Dispersal, and Life Cycle

• Life cycle: Trichocereus spachianus is a perennial plant that can live for many years in various arid environments. The life cycle starts with the flower which has to be pollinated by insects to produce seeds.
• Bats, bees, and hummingbirds are necessary for pollination. These animals obtain food from the cactus, which in turn pollinates the cactus.
• Seeds: Torch cactus produces black seeds which can be found in the green hairy fruits and can be used for propagation.
• Dispersal: Animals such as coyotes and tortoises, eat the plant’s fruit and then disperse the seed in their feces.
• Climate: This plant can take in the heat but grows best at day temperatures of 21-38 degrees centigrade and cooler night temperatures of 10-21 degrees centigrade.

Uses

• Fencing: The plant can be utilized as a hedge for fencing purposes due to its tough nature.
• Ornamental purposes: This cactus can be grown in small desert gardens grown in association with other xerophytes for ornamental value.
• Grafting stock: Trichocereus spachianus can be used as a grafting stock for other cactus species.

Control

Effective methods of controlling Trichocereus spachianus include:

Natural methods

You can dig out the cacti species. However, you need to be careful as the plant’s seeds may spread. In addition, you need to remove the plant’s entire roots to prevent it from regrowing.

Biological control

Biological control involves identifying the plant’s natural enemies such as the Galling Mealybug, Dactylopius opuntiae ‘stricta’, and various species of cochineal insects to control the cactus.

Herbicides

Herbicides are most effective at the onset of a growing season or when the Torch cactus is blooming and the temperatures fall below 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Picloram is an herbicide used to control cacti species. It is important to follow label directions for the proper application rates and to determine the most effective season for applications. 

Herbicides formulated with Picloram work best on spot applications of cactus plants rather than as a broad-area spray. Picloram can penetrate deep enough into the soil to contaminate groundwater.

To kill cacti, hexazinone can be applied at the base. It kills the cactus slowly by interfering with photosynthesis.

Hexazinone is also sold mixed with other herbicides and should not be sprayed in a broad area but used on individual plants. 

After applying herbicides that are formulated with hexazinone, water the area to ensure the herbicide works as it should.

Related Plants

• Snake Cactus (Nyctocereus serpentinus)

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

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The post Torch Cactus (Trichocereus Spachianus) appeared first on InsightWeeds.

Nyctocereus serpentinus can be identified by its dark green cylindrical stems covered with white spines, which give it a fuzzy appearance. It also produces reddish to pale pink tubular flowers that open up at night to reveal fragrant, bright white petals. 

Nyctocereus serpentinus Scientific Classification

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Plantae 
• Phylum: Tracheophyta
• Subphylum: Angiospermae
• Class: Magnoliopsida 
• Order: Caryophyllales
• Family: Cactaceae 
• Genus: Nyctocereus 
• Species: Nyctocereus serpentinus
• Common Names: Serpent cactus, Cereus cactus, Crested night-blooming cereus, Moon cactus, Moonlight cactus, Junco, Junco espinoso, and slangkaktus. 

Nativity & Distribution

Snake cactus is native to Mexico and regions of the United States (Arizona and New Mexico). However, it can also be found in: 

• South Africa
• Australia
• New South Wales

Physical Characteristics

• Leaves: No leaves. It has several white spines, giving the plant a fuzzy appearance.
• Fruits: Large oval fruits covered with soft spines. The fruits are green but turn red or yellow when ripe. 
• Stems: dark green erect stems about 2-3 meters tall. 
• Flowers: Its tubular, funnel-shaped pale pink flowers that open up at night to reveal fragrant, bright white petals. They are about 25cm long and 15cm wide. 
• Roots: Tuberous roots 

Nyctocereus serpentinus is a perennial, tall-growing cacti that can reach up to 3m in height.

It can easily be identified by its dark-green, fuzzy-looking stems covered in white spines and the pink, tubular flowers that open up to reveal fragrant white petals at night. 

Snake cactus does not have leaves. Instead, it has modified succulent stems that perform the functions of the leaves. 

The stems are long, slender, cylindrical, and dark green. They usually grow upright, although they sometimes trail across the ground or climb over other plants or structures like rocks.

The trailing behavior creates a snake-like appearance, hence the name. 

The stems are covered with several bristle-like, whitish spines arranged closely together, creating a woolly appearance. The spines vary in length from 1 to 3 cm. 

Nyctocereus serpentinus has funnel-shaped, pale pink (sometimes reddish) flowers that emerge at the edge of the stem.

Each flower is attached to the stem by a long tube with spines at the base, slightly hairy in the middle, and smooth at the top (where the flower tube begins). 

The flowers are long (25cm) and bloom into bright white petals (up to 15cm wide) at night. Their intoxicating fragrance attracts moths and bats for pollination.  

The flowers bloom between late summer and early fall and usually last for one night only. 

Nyctocereus serpentinus produces egg-shaped fruits (4-6cm long) covered by soft spines. They are green when unripe but turn a conspicuous yellow or red when ripe. 

The fruits have a reddish to-purple pulp that holds large, black seeds (about 5mm long). The seeds can be oval, flattened, or warped.  

Reproduction, Dispersal, & Life Cycle

• Life Cycle: Perennial 
• Seeds: Large, black seeds contained in the flesh of the fruit. 
• Climate: Thrives in tropical regions that are warm and humid. 
• Dispersal: Seeds are dispersed by animals. 

Nyctocereus serpentinus can reproduce both sexually and asexually. In sexual reproduction, the fruits are eaten by birds and other animals (doves, pigeons, bats, rodents, etc.) and deposit the seeds in their droppings. 

The seeds have a hard coat, allowing them to survive harsh conditions, such as extreme temperatures and inadequate moisture. Therefore, they can remain dormant in the ground until they find favorable conditions for germination. 

In asexual reproduction, the pads (stem) of the snake plant on the ground can take root, producing new shoots. Pieces of the stem can be broken off from the main plant and spread by animals, water, footwear, vehicles, and farm machinery. 

They can also spread when the plant parts are cut and disposed of in the fields or garbage bins. 

Like the seeds, the stems of Nyctocereus serpentinus are hardy. Therefore, they can survive harsh conditions until the weather becomes favorable. 

Uses

1. The fruits are edible – can be eaten raw or used to make jams and puddings. 
2. The fruits are a source of food for birds and other wildlife.
3. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant due to its beautiful, night-blooming flowers.  

Impact on Farms and Environment

Nyctocereus serpentinus is an invasive, fast-growing weed that can spread quickly, taking over large land areas. It can also form thick, dense bushes that choke native plants and other useful vegetation. 

Sexual and asexual reproduction make controlling snake cactus infestations very difficult. In addition, it is hardy and can remain vigorous in harsh conditions that would cause other plants to wither and die.

Once it spreads to a new area, snake cactus interferes with several agricultural activities, such as livestock grazing or land tilling.  

The spines that cover the stems of Nyctocereus serpentinus are sharp and can cause painful injuries to humans and animals, especially livestock. The weed is also noxious and can be poisonous to young kids and pets. 

Control

• Natural Methods: physically digging out the plant, fire. 
• Chemical Control:  Glyphosate, Triclopyr, Triclopyr + Picloram, Aminopyralid + Picloram + triclopyr, and Amitrole + Ammonium thiocyanate. 
• Biological Control: Dactylopius tomentosus, a cactus-feeding insect. 

Nyctocereus serpentinus can be controlled naturally by digging it out from the ground. However, the entire plant, including the tubers, must be removed to ensure it doesn’t regrow. Care must also be taken when digging out snake plants to prevent injuries from the sharp spines. 

Once removed, the entire plant must be disposed of at an approved landfill or incinerated. You should not dump snake cactus as garden waste, compost it, or leave any part of the plant (including the fruit) lying around, as this will allow it to regrow. 

Mechanical control using farming machinery is not advised, as pieces of the stem can break down and fall into the ground, from where new shoots can emerge. Therefore, burning the plants to the ground is a better option for large infestations. 

Chemical control is another option for dealing with snake cactus infestation. You can use herbicides like Glyphosate, Triclopyr, Triclopyr + Picloram, Aminopyralid + Picloram + triclopyr, and Amitrole + Ammonium thiocyanate, which are applied to the stem or base of the plant. 

Biological control of Nyctocereus serpentinus is also possible. One of the top biological agents used to contain the plant is Dactylopius tomentosus, a cacti-eating insect that has proven very effective at controlling cacti weeds. 

Similar Plants

• Torch Cactus (Trichocereus Spachianus)
• Snake Grass (Equisetum hyemale)

Sylvia Kiragu

Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.

insightweeds.com/

The post Snake Cactus (Nyctocereus serpentinus)  appeared first on InsightWeeds.