Editing Cereus repandus (section)

== Description ==

The plant is a much-branched, candelabra-like succulent tree that usually forks near the base, reaching about 10 m tall with a main stem up to about 40 cm across. <sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> The cylindrical stems are gray-green to blue, 10–20 cm in diameter, with 9–10 low, rounded ribs up to about 1 cm high (some material with 8–13 ribs). <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-4">[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-5">[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup> The areoles are far apart and carry gray, needle-like spines that are extremely variable — sometimes numerous, sometimes almost entirely absent — with the longest to about 5 cm. <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup>

The flowers are large, white to cream with reddish tips, to about 15 cm long and fragrant, opening at night for a single night only. <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup> The fruit is thornless, globose to elongate, with violet-red to yellow or orange skin. <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> A grower-oriented guide describes the fruit as apple-sized and its rind as inedible. <sup id="cite_ref-6">[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup> Inside is white pulp holding small, crunchy black seeds; the flesh sweetens as the fruit ripens, and the fruit often splits open on the plant (the splitting tendency varies by individual). <sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-7">[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> Reported fruit size depends on provenance: about 3–4 cm long in Caribbean material, <sup>[[#cite_note-7|[7]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> while Israeli cultivated material measured 7–10 cm. <sup id="cite_ref-8">[[#cite_note-8|[8]]]</sup>