Native to the northeastern region of Brazil, Cereus jamacaru are tall, tree-like cactuses that are commonly seen among this species.
This cactus plant grows on a sturdy wood trunk and is made up of numerous chunky branches as erect as the root of the plant itself. They are naturally from a dry, forest area thus, they grow well in these types of conditions.
This cacti species can be invasive as it is quite large for a houseplant. Hence, as a houseplant owner, it would be best to place it outdoors with the necessary precautions in place depending on where you live.
Ensure that your home is able to provide for such a tall plant and as an added measure, check with the seller of this plant on what to expect in terms of its growth.
Cereus jamacaru are robust and quite exotic. They are exotic in the way that they produce white flowers that bloom over the night in the cooler months of November to January.
They also produce these pinkish-red berries that are edible. It’s a world of wonders on how much potential and to use this cacti species can be! If you are looking for a big cactus to be the eye of the prize at home, you surely don’t want to negate having this plant.
Table of Contents
Cereus Jamacaru Plant Care Guide
SOIL
Cereus jamacaru cacti species grows best in stony to sandy soil given that its natural habitat is in dry, open forest grounds.
You can go for soils specifically made for cacti plants, but tweak it a bit by adding some fine gravel to give it a hardy texture. You are trying to go for a less dry, clay soil mixed with fine gravel.
Like most cacti plants, cereus jamacaru needs to be potted in well-drained soil mixtures. Their roots and stems don’t thrive well in soil that is kept moist, or wet.
Therefore, opt for a soil mix that has been already made for such plants. If you want to get creative and make your own soil mix, you can check our article about potting soil for more details on how to do so.
LIGHT
Like all cacti species, cereus jamacaru sure does love itself some sunshine. In fact, it does superbly well in full-blown direct sunlight. Therefore, you can place it outside completely exposed to the sun’s rays.
This cacti species does well in a bit of partial shade, too, if you are worried about being able to place the plant at a certain spot.
If you have your cereus jamacaru indoors, consider taking them out in the summer season. In addition, to promote a well-balanced growth, you can rotate the plant rotate your pot every quarter turn on a weekly basis.
This would help ensure that your cactus will look and feel more healthily grounded.
WATERING
Cereus jamacaru is a low maintenance, self-sustainable plant that can live throughout prolonged periods without any watering. During its growing period, which is from spring to fall, continuously water the plant. However, make sure that the soil dries completely before its next watering.
When the temperature starts to drop in the fall to winter time, cereus jamacaru gradually goes into a more dormant state.
As a result, minimal watering would suffice. Hardly any watering is needed once the plant has matured, as well.
Nonetheless, do continue to monitor them to avoid any wilting, but just use your discretion to assess any given situation that arises.
TEMPERATURE
Cereus jamacaru can survive in temperatures as low as 25 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (-3.9 to 10 degrees Celsius).
For a plant that enjoys full-blown sunlight, this cactus can surely withstand extreme heat.
In the summer months, they can thrive in temperatures as high as 70 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 35 degrees Celsius). This makes cereus jamacaru one of the more heat and drought resistant plants out there.
Cereus jamacaru are plants typically grown outdoors in native temperatures that range from 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.7 to 4.4 degrees Celsius).
When winter comes along, you may want to move these plants indoors to prevent any unusual extremities to happen to them.
HUMIDITY
In terms of humidity levels, cereus jamacaru do best when they are on the drier end of the spectrum. As a result, their roots and stems must not remain moist when watered.
That is why creating your own pot of well-drained soil is recommended for this cacti species, as well as providing them a home in a pot that can be properly drained.
Because cereus jamacaru are just like most cacti with thick skin, being able to retain water levels within, too much humidity can rot their roots and stems.
Therefore, try to stick to moisture levels of about 30%. This would be the safest choice. These plants are tough to endure periods of parched conditions.
FERTILIZER
During the growing season months from spring to early fall, cereus jamacaru definitely appreciates regular fertilizing. Fertilizing the plant can be done with each watering.
In terms of finding the right fertilizer, go for a well-balanced, water-soluble fertilizer that is diluted to one-quarter strength. Ideally, go for an equal 10-10-10 nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrient balance.
In the winter season, you do not need to fertilize the plant at all. You can just leave your cereus jamacaru plant as is and it will still be a happy camper.
For your general knowledge, fertilizers contain nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
When purchasing fertilizers, you may notice a three-digit number ‘#-#-#.’ This shows how many pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium there are in the mix, respectively.
PROPAGATION
Propagation of cereus jamacaru can be done in two ways. They can be grown either by germinating seeds or by using stem cuttings.
According to Plant Species Biology, the ideal temperature for seed germination is 86°F (30°C).
It is recommended to use a stem cutting from an established plant as its both easier and faster. Propagating using seeds will take up to at least a month’s time and sometimes, no plant is grown if you don’t plant the seeds correctly.
Both methods will be discussed further in detail in the propagation section below.
GROWTH
Cereus jamacaru can grow to be quite tall from the perspective of a houseplant. They can be as tall as 10 meters high with spines that can be as long as 20cm.
Therefore, as a houseplant owner, ensure enough space can be given to them in case they become gigantic. Each stem, or branch, has several ribs, some ranging from 4 to 6 of them.
The night owl flowers that grow on some of these cacti plants are about 30cm long. However, these flowers wilt after a day, so savor the moment!
Appearance-wise, Cereus jamacaru grow in a columnar-like manner. As a comparison, think of a giraffe. These plants are like the giraffes of their cacti species with long necks.
POTTING
When trying to choose the right pot to fit these plants, opt for a big one. Knowing that Cereus jamacaru grow to be quite tall and may sprout several branches from its main stem, find one that allows for room to expand.
Ensure that the pot has holes at the bottom because it will help guarantee proper water drainage from the soil.
It is better to leave the stems and roots dry than to keep them moist, which would cause detrimental effects on the health of the cactus.
Cereus Jamacaru Care
PROPAGATION IN-DEPTH/STEP-BY-STEP
To go into further detail as to how to propagate Cereus jamacaru, there are two ways as aforementioned above:
The first way is by using seeds. This method is a bit more time-consuming and difficult if you don’t have too much time on a given day to monitor the well-being of the seeds. The seeds will take approximately 40 to 60 days to germinate.
If using this method, use a clean pot, add some soil mixture for this cactus, and spread the seeds on the surface. Water them into the soil before finding a semi-shaded area to place them.
The second way to propagate this plant is by using stem cuttings. Cut a piece off of the matured part of the plant and let it sit dry for several days.
Sometimes, it may take a week to let the cut part dry completely. Once dried, dab the callous that forms on the cut edge into some fertilizer.
Take a clean pot and add in some fresh soil mixture and then place the stem cutting into it. You can water a bit to initiate its growth.
COMMON PROBLEMS WITH CEREUS JAMACARU
A common problem with Cereus jamacaru would be not giving it a big enough pot that will provide ample room for its growth.
For houseplants, you may need to opt for a larger than normal pot because these cacti species can grow quite big and sprout several branches.
Another common problem is the amount of light given to these cacti. They appreciate lots of sunlight and lounging under the sun’s rays.
Depending on where you live, the weather is out of your control. Therefore, aim to place this plant in a spot where it gets plenty of natural sunlight.
TIPS TO KEEP CEREUS JAMACARU PROBLEM-FREE
To keep Cereus jamacaru problem-free, address the common problems above that they may potentially face. One way is to invest in a large, well-porous pot for this cacti to have room to grow and flourish.
One other helpful tip is to choose the most sun-soaked spot either indoors or outdoors for this plant to thrive.
All-in-all, these simple measures will help your Cereus jamacaru sustain in the long-term.
Frequent monitoring for soil texture is also recommended in order to know when to water them and whether or not any repotting is needed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CEREUS JAMACARU
What do I do if I over-watered my Cereus jamacaru?
If you have over-watered your cereus jamacaru, fear not. Let the plant sit as is without any watering until you notice that the soil has been properly drained and completely dried.
If the moisture still retains itself after a couple of days, then consider repotting your plant, which would be to newly pot it.
Do I need to prune Cereus jamacaru?
Cereus jamacaru barely needs any pruning, if at all. They are made to be self-sufficient and sturdy. The flowers that grow atop them don’t blossom for too long, therefore, you shouldn’t worry about pruning.
How do you repot cereus jamacaru?
It is recommended to repot cereus jamacaru once a year for the size that they grow to be. To repot, it is best to do so during the early spring season.
All you need to do is take them out of their pot, clean and sterilise the pot, or a new pot if it has grown bigger and then add in your soil mixture and a bit of fertilizer.
You would follow essentially the same steps as if you are potting the cactus for the first time.
Are the fruits grown from cereus jamacaru poisonous?
No, the fruits grown on cereus jamacaru are not poisonous. In fact, they are sweet and succulent to taste. They are berries that have seeds in the middle therefore, be careful when taking a scrumptious bite!
Besides from the fruit itself, some people do use the stems to cook and eat as a vegetable. On top of that, as a fun fact, the juices of cereus jamacaru can be used for medicinal purposes.
The juice can treat lung and skin diseases and when applied onto the skin, it can help with treating ulcers.
CONCLUSION
Cereus jamacaru is quite the self-sufficient and simultaneously, unique cacti out there on the market. They not only make for wonderful aesthetic purposes, but they also have practical purposes for them as well.
Not as common now, but they could be used to build roofs of small houses, boards, and boxes. How cool is that!