Stenocereus martinezii aka Pitahayo
Taxonomy ID: 1424
Stenocereus martinezii, known in Spanish as pitahayo or pitayo, is an arborescent (tree-like) columnar cactus endemic to the state of Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico. It grows in dry deciduous forests and valleys at elevations around 100 meters, often alongside species such as Ceiba aesculifolia, Parkinsonia praecox, and other columnar cacti.
The plant forms a short trunk up to 1 meter tall and 25 centimeters in diameter, from which cylindrical branches arise. These shoots range from 8 to 20 centimeters in diameter and carry 10 to 12 prominent ribs. Each areole bears one central spine 2 to 5 centimeters long (occasionally two or three) and 4 to 9 short grayish radial spines of 2 to 6 millimeters. The overall structure reaches 5 to 7 meters in height, giving the plant a striking, candelabra-like silhouette.
Flowering is nocturnal. The funnel-shaped blooms are whitish to yellowish, measure 5 to 7 centimeters in length, and remain open into the following morning. Fruits are spherical to egg-shaped, initially green and ripening to red, measuring 3 to 4.5 centimeters across, and are edible.
Like most Stenocereus species, S. martinezii grows slowly and is considered easy to cultivate in arid or semi-arid conditions. It requires full sun, very well-drained soil, and minimal water once established, tolerating drought well. Local communities propagate it readily from cuttings to create living fences, and the interior woody tissue of the trunk has traditional uses as construction material.
The species was first described as Lemaireocereus martinezii in 1930 and reclassified into Stenocereus by Franz Buxbaum in 1961. The epithet honors Mexican botanist Maximiliano Martinez (1888–1964). It is currently assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2013), reflecting its restricted endemic range in Sinaloa.
Common names
Pitahayo, PitayoMore information about Pitahayo
Is Stenocereus martinezii easy to grow?
Stenocereus martinezii is generally considered easy to grow. It thrives with full sun, very well-drained soil, and infrequent watering, and tolerates drought once established. It is propagated readily from cuttings.
How big does Stenocereus martinezii get?
This is a slow-growing columnar cactus reaching 5 to 7 meters (approximately 16–23 feet) in height. The trunk grows to about 1 meter tall before branching; shoots are 8 to 20 centimeters in diameter.
Where is Stenocereus martinezii from?
Stenocereus martinezii is endemic to Sinaloa, Mexico, occurring in dry deciduous forests and valleys at approximately 100 meters elevation. Its range is centered around the Mazatlán region.
What do the flowers of Stenocereus martinezii look like?
The flowers are funnel-shaped, whitish to yellowish (sometimes described as whitish-pink), and strictly nocturnal — they open at night and remain open into the following morning. Individual blooms measure 5 to 7 centimeters long.
How do you propagate Stenocereus martinezii?
Stenocereus martinezii is easy to propagate from stem cuttings. Local communities in Sinaloa exploit this trait to grow the plants as living fences.
Can Stenocereus martinezii be grown outdoors?
In its native Sinaloa, this cactus grows outdoors in dry deciduous forest conditions with full sun and low annual rainfall. It is suited to warm, arid, and semi-arid climates and is used ornamentally in hot, dry regions. It is not frost-hardy and should only be grown outdoors year-round in frost-free areas.
Is Stenocereus martinezii edible?
Fruits of Stenocereus species, including related pitaya cacti, are eaten by indigenous peoples such as the Seri and Wayuu. The fruits of S. martinezii are spherical to egg-shaped, ripening from green to red, and are edible.
What are the other uses of Stenocereus martinezii?
Local communities in Sinaloa plant S. martinezii as a living fence due to its ease of propagation from cuttings. The woody interior tissue of Stenocereus trunks is traditionally used as tough, cane-like stakes in wattle-and-daub construction.
Are there varieties of Stenocereus martinezii?
The species was originally described under the name Lemaireocereus martinezii (Ortega, 1930) and also placed in Rathbunia martinezii before its current placement in Stenocereus by Buxbaum (1961). No horticultural varieties or cultivars are documented in available sources.
Sources
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