Cereus hexagonous

(Cardón, Dato, Pitahaya, Pitajón, Reina de noche, Lady of the night)

Origin

Native to the north of South America and possibly of a part of the West Indies ( Trinidad and Tobago, margarita island in Venezuela), the lesser Antilles.

Occurrence

Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, West Indies. It is found in the wild in hot regions.

Medicinal uses

The fruit is usually eaten raw, or a drink or jam is prepared.

An infusion of the branches is applied to control inner hemorrhage. Also used to treat for headaches, heart diseases, and protection against strong sunlight.

"Cereus hexagonus, Lady of the Night Cactus" by Dick Culbert is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0