Monstrose Apple Cactus Care Guide
Family: Cactaceae
Genus: Cereus
Botanical Name: Cereus peruvianus monstrose
Difficulty: Low maintenance
Light:
Your cactus is going to grow best in full sun, and they prefer hot, sunny areas with no shade.
Water
Allow the soil to dry out completely after watering them thoroughly. If they’re in a quick draining soil, it is okay to water them more frequently.
Climate
Monstrose apple cacti prefer a warm climate. They love temperatures in the 60-76°F range. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F if outside, but they should be brought indoors if possible to protect from frost.
Soil
Use a cactus soil mixture that will drain quickly to avoid root rot. During the growing season (warmer months) use a slow-release fertilizer.
Pests and Diseases
Look out for scale and mealybugs. Scale is a disease that affects cacti both indoors and outdoors. The surface of the cacti will appear gray and crusty when infested with scale. Mealybugs are little grey or light brown insects that will gather around the base of the cactus or right under the top soil. A good indicator that your cactus has mealybugs is to look for a white or grey fuzzy substance.
Tips
Protect them from frost by covering them with a sheer cloth when it gets cold.
They will barely need to be watered during the winter months.
Repot them each year during the growing season until they have matured.
Signs your monstrose isn’t happy
Dark spots or stem: over watered
Mushy and leaky: root rot
Discoloring: under watered
How to propagate
Using a sharp, clean knife, take a cutting from a mature plant. Allow the cutting to callous for a few weeks before potting. They should be watered once the soil dries out completely. It’s important that you wait for the soil to dry out because they do not have an established root system to absorb a ton of water, which can lead to a water-logged cutting.
Fun facts
Produce flowers right before dawn or sunset.
Produce small edible pitaya seeds.
This Monstrose mainly blooms in the summer.
Monstrose grow in a multi-branched shape that resembles a candelabra.
They can grow up to 15 feet tall!
Hardiness Zones
Before you move your plant outside, be sure to check the hardiness zone to save yourself some grief and the loss of a beloved plant.
The hardiness zone for Monstrose apple cacti is : 9-11
If you live in Tennessee, here’s a hardiness map to help you decide if your plant can survive outside!
