Edible: Fruit, Leaves, Seeds
A large vine-like cactus. It is a woody climber. It can be 20 m tall. It has hooked spines on the stems. There are 2 forms of spines. The vine can be 9 m long and 5-8 cm wide. It is dark green. The leaves are fleshy. The leaves are oblong or sword shaped. Leaves are shed in the dry period. The flowers are 4 cm across. They are white but become cream or pink with age. They are waxy and lemon scented. The fruit are small and yellow with acid pulp. They are about 2 cm across. The flesh is white. The fruit are edible.
It is a tropical plant. It suits a hot tropical lowland climate. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. It does best in climates with a wet and dry period. It has moderate salt tolerance. It needs a temperature between 10-30°C. It does well in a greenhouse with night temperatures of 20°C and day temperatures of 37°C. It needs a well-drained soil. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.
Common Names: Barbados cherry, Blade apple cactus, Bugambilia blanca, Came-de-pobre, Camelia blanca, Dieplong nhon, Grosellero, Guamacho, Hortensia de bejuco, Jasmin de uvas, Leafy cactus, Lemon vine, Mahaga-kywe-yay-kya, Ora-pro-nobis, Ramo de novia, Rose cactus, Surinam gooseberry, Tsumya, West Indian gooseberry
Synonyms:
Cactus lucidus Salisb.;
Cactus pereskia L.;
Pereskia aculeata var. godseffiana (Sander) F. M. Kunth;
Pereskia acardia;
Pereskia foetens Speg. in Weingart;
Pereskia fragrans Lem.;
Pereskia godseffiana hort.;
Pereskia longispina Haw.;
Pereskia pereskia (L.) Karsten [Invalid];
Pereskia rubescens Houghton;
Pereskia undulata Lem.;