Pereskia

Family Cactaceae. Native to the tropical Americas.

Pereskia is a shrub with true leaves. It blooms with beautiful yellow or red flowers. The plant is hardy, cuttings root well. It is often used as a rootstock for cacti. About 20 species of Pereskia are known. Some of them have decorative glossy leaves with a green upper side and a pinkish-purple underside.

Placement: The plant grows well on any windowsill if it is warm and humid there. In winter Pereskia should be kept in a room with a temperature not lower than 10 - 15 °C. It also does very well and grows in a conservatory.

Care: In summer watering should be moderate, but remember that the soil ball must not be allowed to dry out. In winter watering is infrequent. In summer Pereskia is fed a complete mineral fertilizer once every 15 days. In winter, if Pereskia is kept in a cool room, feeding is not recommended. Repot the plant as needed.

Pests and diseases: The plant is damaged by aphids and the red spider mite. If during the growing season the soil was allowed to dry out, or conversely, in winter the plant was kept in a damp and cold environment, then quite often Pereskia drops its leaves or dies altogether.

Propagation: possible by cuttings.