Acanthocereus hirschtianus (K. Schum.) Lodé, Cactaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate; score: 4 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Peniocereus hirschtianus)

Other Latin names:  Cereus guatemalensis (Britton & Rose) Vaupel; Cereus hirschtianus K. Schum.; Cereus neumanii K. Schum.; Cereus nyctago A. Berger [illegit.]; Cereus triangularis f. guatemalensis (Britton & Rose) Eichlam ex Schelle [unresolved]; Nyctocereus guatemalensis Britton & Rose; Nyctocereus hirschtianus (K. Schum.) Britton & Rose; Nyctocereus neumanii (K. Schum.) Britton & Rose; Peniocereus guatemalensis (Britton & Rose) D. R. Hunt; Peniocereus hirschtianus (K. Schumann) D. R. Hunt

Common name(s): [more details]

Unknown: (no common names known)

Habit:  cactus

Description:  As Peniocereus hirschtianus (K. Schum.) D.R. Hunt (English translation below): "Tallos erectos, arqueados, postrados o escandentes, hasta 2 m de largo y 2–5 cm de diámetro, costillas 8–12; espinas radiales 9–12, aciculares, 5–10 mm de largo, algunas más delgadas que las otras, más o menos aplicadas, grises con ápices cafés, espinas centrales 3–6, aciculares, 8–55 mm de largo, erectas o patentes, grises con ápices cafés. Flores nocturnas, 5–7 cm de largo; tubo receptacular 1–1.5 cm de largo, aréolas con 2–5 espinas aciculares de 2–8 mm de largo; partes sepaloides del perianto linear-lanceoladas, 15–20 mm de largo y 2–4 mm de ancho, rosado-parduscas; partes petaloides del perianto lanceoladas, 2–2.5 cm de largo y 0.4–0.6 cm de ancho, blancas o con tintes rosados; estilo ca 3 cm de largo. Frutos globosos, 3–5 cm de largo, carnosos, rojos, aréolas con 7–15 espinas flexibles de 3–18 mm de largo; semillas ca 4 mm de largo, negras." (Tropicos)

English translation of above Spanish description (translated by https://translate.google.com, translated from Spanish by https://translate.google.com)

Habitat/ecology:  "P[eniocereus]. hirschtianus occurs in high densities in thorn scrub vegetation in Guatemala (Arias and Véliz-Pérez 2006). In Costa Rica it is very scarce; B. Hammel (pers. comm. 2009) reports that he has been unable to find plants that he had seen in previous occasions. . . . In Guatemala, the species inhabits thorn scrub vegetation (Arias and Véliz-Pérez 2006). In Costa Rica it is primarily found near the coast in deciduous dry lowland forest (B. Hammel pers. comm. 2009)." (IUCN Red List)

In cultivation, drought-tolerant; tolerates temperatures as low as 20° F. (Dave's Garden)

Propagation:  In cultivation, "[f]rom woody stem cuttings...[f]rom seed; direct sow after last frost." (Dave's Garden)

Native range:  The native range of Peniocereus hirschtianus (Cactaceae) includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. "In Costa Rica, the main occurrence of the species is in the Santa Rosa National Park." (IUCN Red List)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  "It [PIER ed.: Peniocereus hirschtianus] was spreading along the crater walls in Koko Crater Botanical Garden [PIER ed.: Oahu, State of Hawaii, USA], but it was unclear whether it had been planted in this area." (Hawaii Biological Survey)

If you know of invaded habitats or other impacts of this species, please let us know.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Lau, Alex/Frohlich, Danielle (2013) (pp. 13-14) "it was spreading along the crater walls in Koko Crater Botanical Garden, but it was unclear whether it had been planted in this area."
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

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	GRIN (year unknown)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	GRIN (year unknown)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	cultivated	Dave's Garden (year unknown)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States of America United States	United States	cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2017) "Major Pathway/s: Ornamental"
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	cultivated	Dave's Garden (year unknown) "Bostonia"

Comments:  "This is a fairly popular species in cultivation." (IUCN Red List)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Acanthocereus hirschtianus, please let us know.