Cactus produces one day of splendour

Kihikihi resident John Brown admires the flowers on his San Pedro cactus on Tuesday when it flowered for the first time. On the right is a close-up of a second flowering cactus. Photo / Dean Taylor

Kihikihi’s John Brown has a gardening motto - “If you can’t eat it, it isn’t worth growing.”

Having said that his property does feature a few colourful shrubs - and a plant that on Tuesday this week was producing the most spectacular floral display - a San Pedro Cactus.

The importance of the day is that the cactus is one of a group that rarely flowers, and then often for one day.

Some only flower overnight by moonlight.

Brown said he was given a few cuttings by a lady friend about 10 years ago and planted them. He has four adult plants and two were in full bloom when I visited.

He said in the 10 years it was the first time he had seen them flower.

According to Wikipedia these cacti can grow about 30cm a year, which makes sense as the tallest plants were about 3m, and while a South American native, grow easily in temperate climates.

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