Blue Myrtle-cactus (Cactus of Metro Phoenix (April 2021 EcoQuest Guide))

Blue Myrtle-cactus

Myrtillocactus geometrizans

Summary ⁹

Myrtillocactus geometrizan is a type of cacti, usually grown in Mexico.

Description ¹⁰

Myrtillocactus geometrizans is a large shrubby cactus growing to 4–5 m tall, with candelabra-like branching on mature plants. The individual stems are 6–10 cm diameter, with five (occasionally six) ribs, with areoles spaced 1.5–3 cm apart. The flowers are creamy white, 2–2.5 cm diameter. The fruit is an edible dark purple berry 1–2 cm diameter, superficially resembling Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry or whortleberry) fruit; both the scientific and English names derive from this resemblance.

Cultivation ¹⁰

It is a popular species in cultivation, where young plants commonly remain unbranched for many years. The fruit is edible, and sold for consumption in Mexico.

The bilberry cactus is fast growing, and is often used as grafting stock because of this. With favourable conditions it can reach heights of up to 15 feet.

The fukurokuryuzinboku(福禄竜神木) cultivar from Japan, commonly known as "titty cactus" or "breast cactus," has unusually plump ribs shaped like human breasts. Fukurokuryuzinboku, roughly translates to fortune (fuku), fief/happy (roku), dragon (ryu), Shinto god/spirit (jin), tree (boku). It was named after Fukurokuju and Ryujin, two of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese mythology.

Sources and Credits

(c) Alan Camacho Morales, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alan Camacho Morales
(c) Art Mur, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Art Mur
(c) Juan Cruzado Cortés, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Cruzado Cortés
(c) Carlos Galindo-Leal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Carlos Galindo-Leal
(c) 106757949696626451802, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 106757949696626451802, https://picasaweb.google.com/106757949696626451802/2014FebreroTula?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3M98XCo4DADg#5981578199265455282
(c) 106757949696626451802, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 106757949696626451802, https://picasaweb.google.com/106757949696626451802/2014FebreroTula?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3M98XCo4DADg#5981578244997547746
(c) lcardena, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by lcardena
(c) Zabdiel Peralta, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Zabdiel Peralta
Adapted by Jeny Davis from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtillocactus geometrizans
(c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtillocactus_geometrizans

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