Found some more cacti to indentify..

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Edited April 5, 2010 by lsdreamz

[MORG]

You'll need to get alot closer to these plants for a good ID. The second cactus again looks like a Cereus. Have a browse through pics of active cacti here and around the net and you'll start to become familiar with their look.

The ribs on Cereus are very pronounced, with very deep ridges between them, much more so than any bridgesii etc. This is a major morphological character you can use to disregard those common suburban giants.

[sobriquet]

You'll need to get alot closer to these plants for a good ID. The second cactus again looks like a Cereus. Have a browse through pics of active cacti here and around the net and you'll start to become familiar with their look.

The ribs on Cereus are very pronounced, with very deep ridges between them, much more so than any bridgesii etc. This is a major morphological character you can use to disregard those common suburban giants.

Cereus peruvianus is worth growing at least one of. It produces a well known type of 'dragonfruit' that can be quite delicious. Nice landscaping plant too.

[sobriquet]

Here's some pics of Cereus peruvianus in fruiting mode...

These are from Israel agricultural sites. Australia should be getting in on the action with this type of arid environment produce.

[teonanacatl]

dragon fruit is from hylocereus and another species, similar taste to cereus fruit but, cereus fruit are smaller.

[teonanacatl]

only problem with doing it in oz is it requires hand pollination at night, that kind of labour aint cheap.

[MORG]

only problem with doing it in oz is it requires hand pollination at night, that kind of labour aint cheap.

But we're finding out the hard way that environmental degradation as a result of unsuitable agricultural practices ain't cheap either.

[sobriquet]

dragon fruit is from hylocereus and another species, similar taste to cereus fruit but, cereus fruit are smaller.

That's why I wrote...

"type of 'dragonfruit' "

The Hylocereus dragonfruit has spiny type skin. I haven't seen it at the local Woolworths for a while but next time I do I'm going to buy one to collect the seeds and plant out.

The other types of 'dragonfruit' I'm seeking are the yellow skinned 'pitaya' and red fleshed/pink skinned 'pitaya'.

[thunderbird]

when i was in Turkish Cyprus there was a cactus that appeared to be a wild cactus as it grew in public areas in villages and the fruit was highly valued for its medicinal properties. I did try it and thought they were quite bland to taste but the seeds were large and undigestable, (maybe this was why they were considered medicinal as they would have went striaght thru your digestive system). Apparently it was said that the fruit was a vegetable then become a fruit as it ripened.

I had heard that this cactus was highly valued among turkish peoples, yet i understand that cactus is only native in the 'americas' and thus it couldn't have been a native plant i assume. It was quite common from what i saw.

below is a picture from Cyprus of one of them.

[sobriquet]

when i was in Turkish Cyprus there was a cactus that appeared to be a wild cactus as it grew in public areas in villages and the fruit was highly valued for its medicinal properties. I did try it and thought they were quite bland to taste but the seeds were large and undigestable, (maybe this was why they were considered medicinal as they would have went striaght thru your digestive system). Apparently it was said that the fruit was a vegetable then become a fruit as it ripened.

I had heard that this cactus was highly valued among turkish peoples, yet i understand that cactus is only native in the 'americas' and thus it couldn't have been a native plant i assume. It was quite common from what i saw.

below is a picture from Cyprus of one of them.

It's a 'Prickly Pear'. Opuntia sp.

A noxious weed in Australia where it was one of the most amazingly rapid invaders of territory ever. The rabbit of the plant kingdom.

[teonanacatl]

thats true morg, Id have no problem pollinating them myself, but other might not be so happy to do so. But why would I plant a field of cereus when I could plant a field of Echinopsis :D

Check the free seed ring sobriquet I dontated a shit load of the red fleshed hylocereus a while back. If anyone wants and cereus seed pm me i have a small container full. Also should get some more pollen from my monstrose on this year if anyone wants to try their hand at getting some monstrose seed.

[Moses]

Also should get some more pollen from my monstrose on this year if anyone wants to try their hand at getting some monstrose seed.

my monstrose if starting to flower now will you have pollen in time for this teo?

[sobriquet]

I'll have to get a picture up of my monstrose Cereus peruvianus I've had for a while.

Mine's a darker green than the one above and hasn't flowered yet.

It's grown a second 'trunk' and I have to get around to cutting it back and repotting. It's too big and prickly for me to do unless I have an hour or two available.

[teonanacatl]

nope sorry moses. Grap any cereus pollen and use that, might give you some freak seed.