Pereskiopsis Growing Guide
Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2021 10:43 pm
Part I: Introduction
I'd like to share some of my knowledge of Pereskiopsis cultivation and invite others to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. I know Pereskiopsis growing questions come up here from time to time (including me a few years ago). I'm hoping to make this into a comprehensive guide that might turn into a pinned post
Part II: Overview
Pereskiopsis is an unusual cactus genus whose main use in cultivation is as a graft stock. Pereskiopsis's atypical features include leaves, rapid growth, high resistance to rot, and long narrow stems. Its rapid growth rate and narrow diameter make it an excellent stock for seedlings
Part III: Pereskiopsis's origins
The genus Pereskiopsis originates from the tropical dry forests of Pacific Southern Mexico (see figure 1). These forests have two well differentiated seasons: wet and dry. Of the 20-80 in (50-200 cm) of rain that falls every year, less than 2 in (5 cm) fall in the dry season. The climate is warm, with no month's average temperature falling below 70°F (20°C). Pereskiopsis grows like crazy in the wet months, then goes dormant in the dry season, losing all its leaves
I'll also note here Pereskiopsis is one of about four genera of leafy cacti. Pereskia and Leuenbergeria are primitive cacti only distantly related to Pereskiopsis (see figure 2). Pereskiopsis was named for its resemblance to Pereskia (which at the time also included Leuenbergeria). Quiabentia is thought to be closely related to Pereskiopsis but its reputed slow growth makes it poorly suited for use as a graft stock
Part IV: Cultivation
Temperature
In my experience, the most critical condition for good Pereskiopsis growth is adequately high low temperatures. Low temperatures below about 60°F (15°C) drastically slow growth. Lows approaching 50°F (10°C) trigger dormancy (note the plants won't go completely dormant if you keep watering them, but they'll still stop growing and lose their leaves). I'm told they can withstand freezing temperatures a short time (<24 hours), but the soil needs to be dry. Letting your Pereskiopsis experience frost is not recommended
High temperatures don't seem to matter as much. We've gotten temps over 100°F (40°C) where I live and the plants haven't really been affected at all. If anything, they prefer hotter weather
Water
During its growth season, Pereskiopsis really can't be overwatered. I don't ever let the top of its soil dry out. During dormancy, water is only necessary when the stems begin to shrivel. In my experience, watering during dormancy isn't harmful. However, my experience only goes down to the high 40s F (the high single digits C)
Light
I grow my Pereskiopsis in areas that get full sun for at least part of the day. I've never had any get injured from too much sun. They become etiolated when grown in shade (~500 fc/5k lux). I don't have experience growing these plants under lights, but I'd suggest an intensity at least 1k fc (11k lux) to ensure good growth
Pereskiopsis get 12 +/- 1 hours of sunlight a day in habitat. They don't seem to mind longer days however. Some people have gotten good results with up to 16 hours under lights
Soil
I use regular potting soil. Any soil that isn't too dense and doesn't dry out too easily will work
Fertilizer
I don't use fertilizer. I'd be interested in hearing people's experiences with fertilizing and whether it's worth it
Pests and problems
Loss of leaves:
Aphids can cause quite a bit of damage to Pereskiopsis. Mites can also damage the leaves, making them smaller and unhealthy looking. They mostly attack growing tips. See figures 3 and 4 for examples of mite damage to Pereskiopsis. I'm sure mealybugs can too but I've never had to deal with them thankfully. Sometimes slugs eat the leaves as well. A discussion of insect pests can be found here: http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=42129
Underwatering also causes leaf wilt/death (are you remembering to keep the soil wet?). Temperatures under 60°F (15°C) cause leaf death too. This is natural and not pathological
Slow growth:
Is caused by night temperatures under 60°F (15°C) or inadequate watering
Rot:
I've only ever seen rot on Pereskiopsis plants that are already very unhealthy. I've never seen an otherwise healthy plant rot. If your plants are rotting, make sure you're providing appropriate growing conditions
Seasonal cycle (applies to outdoor growing in my climate)
Summer (low temps 60°F (15°C) or above): grows freely
Fall (lows 50ish-60°F or 10-15°C): growth slows when lows go below 60°F (15°C). Lower leaves begin to die. Weak or damaged branches may start to die. Plants look generally shabby
Winter (lows 50°F (10°C) or lower): Plans lose most to all leaves. Growth ceases. Water isn't necessary unless the plants become very shriveled. Extra watering doesn't seem to be harmful
Spring (increasing low temps): A couple weeks to a month before new stem growth starts, plants begin growing new spines. Growth slowly restarts as nightly lows increase. Then, before you know it, they start growing like crazy
Part V: Propagation
Note: Propagation should take place in Pereskiopsis's growth temperatures (60°F (15°C) and up)
To propagate Pereskiopsis, take a stem cutting from an established plant and plant it .5-.75 in (1-2 cm) deep in moist soil. Do not let the cut dry, and do not remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem*. Any size of cutting will work, but cuttings under about 3 in (8 cm) will take a while to establish themselves. Keep the soil damp and don't let it get too much sun before it's rooted (i.e. filtered sun or bright shade). Rooting takes around a week. I have not found that rooting hormone makes a difference. It's worth noting here that when you cut the top off of a stem, it usually responds by producing a couple of new stems (like many plants). Therefore, for maximum production, you should cut the tops off frequently to get as many branches growing as possible. You can also root cuttings in water then plant in soil with these same steps. I don't think there's a big difference except some people may find one more convenient than the other
There's also a mass propagation method that involves cutting the stem into a number of segments with one leaf each. The segments are planted horizontally with the leaves sticking up. I've never tried this, but I assume it works since Pereskiopsis roots so easily. This would be a good way to make a lot of plants, if somewhat slowly
*This is because the lowest few leaves usually die during rooting. If you remove the leaves from the part of the stem going into the soil, it'll just cause further up leaves to die
Part VI: Reviving cuttings you got in the mail
This is most people's first experience with Pereskiopsis, so I think it warrants its own section. Mailing is not kind to Pereskiopsis cuttings. They are typically shipped wrapped in dry newspaper and are pretty wilted and sad by the time they arrive (I think a better method would be to send them loosely wrapped in slightly damp paper towels, sealed in a bag. But Amazon/Ebay sellers are what they are). Plant them as described in the cuttings section, with these exceptions: use rooting hormone if you have it; use lightly wetted rather than saturated soil; be conservative with watering, wait for the top of the soil to dry before watering again. Watch for signs of rot, mailed Pereskiopsis is receptible to rot (this is the only time you have to worry about rot in these plants). Eventually they will root and produce new growth. Ease them into sun and more frequent watering
Part VII: Miscellaneous
Species
There are around 8 species in the genus Pereskiopsis. Cultivated plants are often sold under the name P. spathulata. Without seeing flowers, fruit or even mature stems it's difficult to know whether this is a correct identification. Some authors do not recognize P. spathulata at all. Given the scarce and sometimes questionable information out there, I suspect P. spathulata is an apocryphal name given to Pereskiopsis spp. in cultivation
Flowering
Pereskiopsis will not flower until it is quite large. Somewhere I read a stem length of 2+ meters is needed. Flowers are yellow, though Anderson alleges P. spathulata has red flowers, while also expressing some doubt about the validity of the species. I myself doubt any Pereskiopsis flowers a color other than yellow and have found no evidence to suggest otherwise. If you have a red flowered Pereskiopsis, I'd love to see a picture. Someday I hope to grow one of my P. "spathulata" large enough to see a flower. The anthers of at least one specie's flower are touch sensitive https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=88&v=Og ... e=youtu.be
Seed
I don't know whether Pereskiopsis spp. produce seeds. I was given some fruit and cuttings of P. Porteri(?) last year, and the fruits did not contain seeds. The fruit had a sweet but somewhat grassy flavor. It would make a nice cocktail garnish with the glochids removed
Glochids
In my experience, Pereskiopsis glochids are mostly large and easy to remove
Part VIII: Missing Information
There are some things I'd like to include here, but that I don't know much about. I'm hoping other members can fill me in on:
Indoor Pereskiopsis culture details
Hydroponic growing (there's some info on this thread http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 5&start=20)
Fertilizer
Anything else you feel should be here but isn't
Feel free to let me know what you think (or disagree with) in the comments
Part IX: References
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/e ... 14-P25.pdf
Everything preceded by I, me or my is from personal experience
Carbo contributed to Section IV. Thanks Carbo!
Pereskiopsisdotcom contributed information regarding low temperatures. Thanks Pereskiopsisdotcom!
Also thanks to One Windowsill for the pointers
Part X: Figures
I'd like to share some of my knowledge of Pereskiopsis cultivation and invite others to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. I know Pereskiopsis growing questions come up here from time to time (including me a few years ago). I'm hoping to make this into a comprehensive guide that might turn into a pinned post
Part II: Overview
Pereskiopsis is an unusual cactus genus whose main use in cultivation is as a graft stock. Pereskiopsis's atypical features include leaves, rapid growth, high resistance to rot, and long narrow stems. Its rapid growth rate and narrow diameter make it an excellent stock for seedlings
Part III: Pereskiopsis's origins
The genus Pereskiopsis originates from the tropical dry forests of Pacific Southern Mexico (see figure 1). These forests have two well differentiated seasons: wet and dry. Of the 20-80 in (50-200 cm) of rain that falls every year, less than 2 in (5 cm) fall in the dry season. The climate is warm, with no month's average temperature falling below 70°F (20°C). Pereskiopsis grows like crazy in the wet months, then goes dormant in the dry season, losing all its leaves
I'll also note here Pereskiopsis is one of about four genera of leafy cacti. Pereskia and Leuenbergeria are primitive cacti only distantly related to Pereskiopsis (see figure 2). Pereskiopsis was named for its resemblance to Pereskia (which at the time also included Leuenbergeria). Quiabentia is thought to be closely related to Pereskiopsis but its reputed slow growth makes it poorly suited for use as a graft stock
Part IV: Cultivation
Temperature
In my experience, the most critical condition for good Pereskiopsis growth is adequately high low temperatures. Low temperatures below about 60°F (15°C) drastically slow growth. Lows approaching 50°F (10°C) trigger dormancy (note the plants won't go completely dormant if you keep watering them, but they'll still stop growing and lose their leaves). I'm told they can withstand freezing temperatures a short time (<24 hours), but the soil needs to be dry. Letting your Pereskiopsis experience frost is not recommended
High temperatures don't seem to matter as much. We've gotten temps over 100°F (40°C) where I live and the plants haven't really been affected at all. If anything, they prefer hotter weather
Water
During its growth season, Pereskiopsis really can't be overwatered. I don't ever let the top of its soil dry out. During dormancy, water is only necessary when the stems begin to shrivel. In my experience, watering during dormancy isn't harmful. However, my experience only goes down to the high 40s F (the high single digits C)
Light
I grow my Pereskiopsis in areas that get full sun for at least part of the day. I've never had any get injured from too much sun. They become etiolated when grown in shade (~500 fc/5k lux). I don't have experience growing these plants under lights, but I'd suggest an intensity at least 1k fc (11k lux) to ensure good growth
Pereskiopsis get 12 +/- 1 hours of sunlight a day in habitat. They don't seem to mind longer days however. Some people have gotten good results with up to 16 hours under lights
Soil
I use regular potting soil. Any soil that isn't too dense and doesn't dry out too easily will work
Fertilizer
I don't use fertilizer. I'd be interested in hearing people's experiences with fertilizing and whether it's worth it
Pests and problems
Loss of leaves:
Aphids can cause quite a bit of damage to Pereskiopsis. Mites can also damage the leaves, making them smaller and unhealthy looking. They mostly attack growing tips. See figures 3 and 4 for examples of mite damage to Pereskiopsis. I'm sure mealybugs can too but I've never had to deal with them thankfully. Sometimes slugs eat the leaves as well. A discussion of insect pests can be found here: http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=42129
Underwatering also causes leaf wilt/death (are you remembering to keep the soil wet?). Temperatures under 60°F (15°C) cause leaf death too. This is natural and not pathological
Slow growth:
Is caused by night temperatures under 60°F (15°C) or inadequate watering
Rot:
I've only ever seen rot on Pereskiopsis plants that are already very unhealthy. I've never seen an otherwise healthy plant rot. If your plants are rotting, make sure you're providing appropriate growing conditions
Seasonal cycle (applies to outdoor growing in my climate)
Summer (low temps 60°F (15°C) or above): grows freely
Fall (lows 50ish-60°F or 10-15°C): growth slows when lows go below 60°F (15°C). Lower leaves begin to die. Weak or damaged branches may start to die. Plants look generally shabby
Winter (lows 50°F (10°C) or lower): Plans lose most to all leaves. Growth ceases. Water isn't necessary unless the plants become very shriveled. Extra watering doesn't seem to be harmful
Spring (increasing low temps): A couple weeks to a month before new stem growth starts, plants begin growing new spines. Growth slowly restarts as nightly lows increase. Then, before you know it, they start growing like crazy
Part V: Propagation
Note: Propagation should take place in Pereskiopsis's growth temperatures (60°F (15°C) and up)
To propagate Pereskiopsis, take a stem cutting from an established plant and plant it .5-.75 in (1-2 cm) deep in moist soil. Do not let the cut dry, and do not remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem*. Any size of cutting will work, but cuttings under about 3 in (8 cm) will take a while to establish themselves. Keep the soil damp and don't let it get too much sun before it's rooted (i.e. filtered sun or bright shade). Rooting takes around a week. I have not found that rooting hormone makes a difference. It's worth noting here that when you cut the top off of a stem, it usually responds by producing a couple of new stems (like many plants). Therefore, for maximum production, you should cut the tops off frequently to get as many branches growing as possible. You can also root cuttings in water then plant in soil with these same steps. I don't think there's a big difference except some people may find one more convenient than the other
There's also a mass propagation method that involves cutting the stem into a number of segments with one leaf each. The segments are planted horizontally with the leaves sticking up. I've never tried this, but I assume it works since Pereskiopsis roots so easily. This would be a good way to make a lot of plants, if somewhat slowly
*This is because the lowest few leaves usually die during rooting. If you remove the leaves from the part of the stem going into the soil, it'll just cause further up leaves to die
Part VI: Reviving cuttings you got in the mail
This is most people's first experience with Pereskiopsis, so I think it warrants its own section. Mailing is not kind to Pereskiopsis cuttings. They are typically shipped wrapped in dry newspaper and are pretty wilted and sad by the time they arrive (I think a better method would be to send them loosely wrapped in slightly damp paper towels, sealed in a bag. But Amazon/Ebay sellers are what they are). Plant them as described in the cuttings section, with these exceptions: use rooting hormone if you have it; use lightly wetted rather than saturated soil; be conservative with watering, wait for the top of the soil to dry before watering again. Watch for signs of rot, mailed Pereskiopsis is receptible to rot (this is the only time you have to worry about rot in these plants). Eventually they will root and produce new growth. Ease them into sun and more frequent watering
Part VII: Miscellaneous
Species
There are around 8 species in the genus Pereskiopsis. Cultivated plants are often sold under the name P. spathulata. Without seeing flowers, fruit or even mature stems it's difficult to know whether this is a correct identification. Some authors do not recognize P. spathulata at all. Given the scarce and sometimes questionable information out there, I suspect P. spathulata is an apocryphal name given to Pereskiopsis spp. in cultivation
Flowering
Pereskiopsis will not flower until it is quite large. Somewhere I read a stem length of 2+ meters is needed. Flowers are yellow, though Anderson alleges P. spathulata has red flowers, while also expressing some doubt about the validity of the species. I myself doubt any Pereskiopsis flowers a color other than yellow and have found no evidence to suggest otherwise. If you have a red flowered Pereskiopsis, I'd love to see a picture. Someday I hope to grow one of my P. "spathulata" large enough to see a flower. The anthers of at least one specie's flower are touch sensitive https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=88&v=Og ... e=youtu.be
Seed
I don't know whether Pereskiopsis spp. produce seeds. I was given some fruit and cuttings of P. Porteri(?) last year, and the fruits did not contain seeds. The fruit had a sweet but somewhat grassy flavor. It would make a nice cocktail garnish with the glochids removed
Glochids
In my experience, Pereskiopsis glochids are mostly large and easy to remove
Part VIII: Missing Information
There are some things I'd like to include here, but that I don't know much about. I'm hoping other members can fill me in on:
Indoor Pereskiopsis culture details
Hydroponic growing (there's some info on this thread http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 5&start=20)
Fertilizer
Anything else you feel should be here but isn't
Feel free to let me know what you think (or disagree with) in the comments
Part IX: References
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/e ... 14-P25.pdf
Everything preceded by I, me or my is from personal experience
Carbo contributed to Section IV. Thanks Carbo!
Pereskiopsisdotcom contributed information regarding low temperatures. Thanks Pereskiopsisdotcom!
Also thanks to One Windowsill for the pointers
Part X: Figures