How to Trim a Cereus Peruvianus

Cereus peruvianus, Peruvian apple cactus, is a plant to grow when you want to make an impression. Growing up to 15 feet tall and wide outdoors, the upright trunk of the plant has four to six deeply lobed ribs, each with 1/2-inch to 1 1/2-inch spines along its length. The trunk develops many offshoots and branches, all with the same ribbing and spines. The plant, sometimes called night-blooming cereus, produces fragrant white flowers, followed by round, red, edible fruit. The plant is propagated by cuttings, and trimming is also necessary to maintain size and increase fruit production. If you don't trim the Cereus peruvianus correctly, however, you leave the plant open to disease.

Bleach
Bucket
Serrated knife
Work gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Clean a serrated knife in a solution of 90 percent water and 10 percent chlorine bleach, mixed in a bucket or bowl, depending on the size of the knife. Use a knife appropriate for the size of the Cereus peruvianus you are pruning.
- 2
  Stand back and examine your cactus, particularly if it is a large, landscape specimen. Note any branches that are diseased, damaged, crossing other branches, jutting out out from the plant or too tall for the site.
- 3
  Put on work gloves to protect your hands from the plant's spines.
- 4
  Cut through the diameter of the plant, just below any disease or damage or at a natural indentation in the column, which may have a segmented look. Cut at a downward-sloping 45-degree angle all the way through the diameter of the branch. The angled cut sheds water, preventing potential rot in the stem that remains.
- 5
  Clean the knife again in the water and bleach solution before moving on to your next cut.
- 6
  Monitor your cereus for any signs of disease around the cut or for new growth. New stems form around the cut areas.

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