Hylocereus polyrhizus (F. A. C. Weber) Britton & Rose, Cactaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Cereus polyrhizus F. A. C. Weber

Common name(s): [more details]

English: pitahaya

Spanish: flor de cáliz

Habit:  cactus

Description:  "Plants sprawling to climbing, profusely branched, epiphytic, lithophytic, and terrestrial, to several meters long.  Stems two- to four-angled, usually three-angled, dark green, becoming whitish with age, 0.5-2 m (20-79 in) long, 3-10 cm (1.2-3.9 in) wide.  Ribs smooth to wavy, often horny, with concave faces.  Spines 2-6, bulbous basally, reddish, becoming gray, needle-like, straight, 2-10 mm (to 0.4 in) long.  Flowers borne singly or in small clusters, white, 25-31 cm (9.8-12 in) long, 25-30 cm (9.8-12 in) in diameter; floral tubes straight to strongly curved; pericarpels indistinct.  Fruits ellipsoidal, red, 7-10 cm (2.8-3.9 in) long" (Anderson, 2001; p. 379).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador" (Anderson, 2001; p. 379).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	Anderson, Edward F. (2001) (p. 379)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	Anderson, Edward F. (2001) (p. 379)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	Anderson, Edward F. (2001) (p. 379)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	Anderson, Edward F. (2001) (p. 379)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	Anderson, Edward F. (2001) (p. 379)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Hylocereus polyrhizus, please let us know.