Bilberry cactus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bilberry cactus |
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The Myrtillocactus geometrizans is a type of cactus. People often call it the bilberry cactus, whortleberry cactus, or blue candle. It grows naturally in central and northern Mexico. This cactus is known for its unique shape and edible fruit.
What It Looks Like
The Myrtillocactus geometrizans is a large, shrubby cactus. It can grow quite tall, reaching about 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet). Older plants often have branches that look like a candelabra, which is a fancy candle holder.
Each stem of the cactus is about 6 to 10 centimeters (2.4 to 4 inches) wide. They usually have five (sometimes six) ribs, which are like ridges running along the stem. Small bumps called areoles are spaced about 1.5 to 3 centimeters (0.6 to 1.2 inches) apart on these ribs.
The cactus produces creamy white flowers. These flowers are small, about 2 to 2.5 centimeters (0.8 to 1 inch) across. After the flowers, the cactus grows a dark purple fruit. This fruit is a berry, about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) wide. It looks a lot like a bilberry or whortleberry, which is how the cactus got its common and scientific names. The fruit is safe to eat!
Growing This Cactus
The bilberry cactus is a popular plant to grow. Young plants often stay unbranched for many years before they start to spread out. In Mexico, the fruit of this cactus is sold and eaten by people.
This cactus grows quickly. Because of its fast growth, it is often used for grafting. Grafting is a way to join parts of two plants so they grow as one. This helps other slower-growing cacti grow faster. If it has good conditions, the Myrtillocactus geometrizans can grow up to 15 feet tall.
There is a special type of this cactus from Japan called fukurokuryuzinboku. This name has a cool meaning! It roughly translates to "fortune," "happy," "dragon," "Shinto god/spirit," and "tree." It was named after two important figures in Japanese mythology: Fukurokuju and Ryūjin, who are part of the Seven Lucky Gods.
See also
In Spanish: Garambullo para niños
