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Stenocereus gummosus

Accession Count: 0
Common Name: sour pitaya, pitaya agria
Family Name: Cactaceae
Botanical Name: Stenocereus gummosus
Synonyms:
Botanical Synonyms: Cereus gummosus
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics: Stenocereus gummosus is a cactus with an erect or sprawling form, eventually developing aggregations of multiple cylindrical stems that reach up to 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide at maturity (1, 2). Each green-gray stem possesses 8-9 ribs and large areoles, from which the 8-12 radial spines will emerge, while the 3-6 central spines develop at the apex (3). Mature spines will be gray in color, while the younger apical spines will be reddish-gray (2). From July to September, large, showy, and fragrant white flowers will bloom at the apex of cacti, possessing pink tipped petals and elongated hypanthia (2). The flowers average 3.5 inches in diameter, and will only bloom for a single night before closing, eventually being followed by distinctively red fruits (1, 2). Subglobose, and spiny, the fruits possess red exterior flesh and bright red interior flesh, and will reach the size of oranges (2, 3). Within the flesh of each fruit are numerous black to brown seeds, each approximately 2.5mm in length (2, 3).
Compound: Ste gum
Geographic Origin: Baja California
Ecozone Origin:
Biome Origin:
Natural History: Named by Arthur Charles Gibson and Karl E. Horak, sour pitaya was first described in Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 65(4), 1978[1979] (4). The genus, Stenocereus, derives from the Greek stenos for narrow or straight, in reference to the cacti’s erect stems. At the same time, the epithet, gummosus, is Latin for “full of gum”, “gummy”, or “slime (gum) producing”, likely referring to the toxic sap that exudes from cut stems (2, 5, 6).
S. gummosus is endemic to the Sonoran desert but possesses a disjunct distribution, being widely distributed in Baja California, and occupying a small coastal region in mainland Sonora (the Gulf islands and Punta Sargento) (1, 7). Despite this, Sonoran cacti possess higher levels of genetic variation than peninsular cacti (7). At the same time, S. gummosus are long living, with plants that were first documented in the early 1900s still being present in a 1996 field study (2). For the extensive value of the edible fruits, sour pitaya is prized in local markets, and is sometimes considered a native resource (8).
Cultivation Notes: Sour pitaya is frost-tender, persisting in USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11 (25°F-40°F) (9, 10). However, it is recommended to maintain a minimum temperature of 50°F-55°F for the best growth (11). Full sun is preferred, but S. gummosus will also tolerate light shade (9, 11). At the same time, sour pitaya is salt tolerant, drought tolerant, and tolerant of poor soils, preferring a pH of 6-7 (9). However, richer soils will encourage faster growth, which may be preferred in cultivation as S. gummosus is a very slow growing cactus (2). In addition, ensure that soil is gritty and well-draining, to avoid root-rot (11). Further acceleration of growth is possible through moderate summer waterings, which will increase stem growth. However, water very sparsely during the colder winter months (2).
Propagation is possible through woody stem and softwood cuttings, as well as through the planting of seed. Yet, because S. gummosus germinates slowly and has a low overall germination rate, asexual reproduction is favored in cultivation (8, 10, 12). However, it is possible to improve the rate of germination by exposing seed to discontinuous hydration and maintaining a germination temperature of 69.8°F - 87.8°F (21°C - 31°C) (12, 13).
Ethnobotany: Stenocereus gummosus has been primarily valued for its edible fruits, which are considered to be the most delicious of all fruit bearing cacti (1, 14). Even sweeter than pitaya dulce (S. thurberi), the red fruits have a similar acidity as strawberries and oranges, rival lychees and kiwis, and are ultimately considered to be very refreshing and delicious (2, 11). The fruits are harvested by ranchers for public consumption, and are eaten by numerous southwestern Tribes, including the Papago, Pima, and the Seri of northwestern Mexico, which especially prized the pitaya fruits  (2, 8, 15). Indeed, the fruits have been so extensively valued that colonial Spanish explorers relied upon the fruits to prevent scurvy (2). Unfortunately, due to the slow growth – especially in older cacti – large-scale commercial cultivation of S. gummosus has not been possible (2).
While the medicinal and cultural uses of S. gummosus are mostly unknown, the toxic sap that is exuded from stems has been used by Indigenous people of northern Mexico to stun and kill fish (3, 11). The stems of sour pitaya are crushed and tossed into a lake, where the sap is released and the fish are intoxicated (11).
Height: 6 - 10 feet
Width: 0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate: Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season: Summer
Color: White
Function: Habitat
Spread: Spreading
Allergen: Non-allergenic
Invasive: Benign
Toxicity: Toxic
Hardy: Tender
Water Use: Moderate Water Use
Citations:
  1. Ocean Oasis Field Guide. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  2. Matt’s Landscape. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  3. Desert Tropicals. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  4. Tropicos. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  5. LPSN – List of Prokaryotic Names with Standing in Literature. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  6. Numen the Latin Lexicon. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  7. Nature. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  8. Springer Link. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  9. Useful Tropical Plants. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  10. Dave’s Garden. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  11. Sunny Gardens. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  12. JSTOR. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  13. ResearchGate. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  14. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
  15. Native American Ethnobotany Database. Retrieved February 10th, 2021.
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Stenocereus gummosus