Tallest Cactus-world record set by SDM College
of Dental Sciences
DHARWAD, Karnataka, India--A 77-foot cacuts plant
('Cereus peruvianus') has grown in SDM College of Dental
Sciences premises near Sattur in Dharwad-setting the new
world record for the Tallest
Cactus.
Photo: Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra
Heggade and his wife Hemavati standing next to the Tallest
Cactusin Dharwad. (enlarge
photo) Known as `Cereus peruvianus' in botanical
terminology, the 77-foot plant is still growing. Planted on
August 15, 2002, the Tallest
Cactus belonging to Cactaceae family has no leaves.
The stem is 3-9 degree angled with tuft of spines present
on the ridges.
The Tallest
Cactus has flowers up to 20-cm long, funnel-shaped
white in colour turning brownish when withered. The flowering
season is from March to October, with maximum flowering in
September.
SDME Society chairman D Veerendra Heggade
said the college authorities have erected a tower to support
the Tallest
Cactus.
Incidentally, the previous Guinness world
record for the Tallest
Cactus stands in the name of a cactus in Narayanpur
of Dharwad. The cactus grown at Pandit Munji's house in Narayanpur
was 72-foot tall when it made an entry into the `Guinness
Book' in 2004. Now that plant has been reduced to 56 feet
as it has broken.
Professor Parimala of the department of
botany in JSS College, explaining the features of the Tallest
Cactus, said it has its origin in South America.
In India, it is planted in hedges and is
rarely cultivated. It is also called Hedge Cactus, Peruvian
Apple, Peruvian Torch, Peruvian Tree Cactus, Apple Cactus
and Column Cactus.
The flowers bloom during night and closes
in the morning, and hence called night-blooming Cereus. The
flowers are white when fully bloomed and copper coloured when
closed. It has fruits called Peruvian Apple edible, red in
colour.
In Latin America, it is called Pitaya and
marketed with the name Koubo.
Parimala said good drainage, proper sunlight
and low humidity are ideal conditions for cultivation. Botany
lecturer in JSS College Dr. Parimala said that cactus belonging
to the genus Cereus was originally from South Africa. “The
cactus grows in areas where there is less humidity and more
light,” she said.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University,
professor M I Savadatti, SDMCDS principal C Bhasker Rao, SDME
Society secretary Jinendra Prasad, Hemavati Heggade, Suman
Vajra Kumar and other dignitaries were present at the presentation
programme. Related world records: Largest
rutabaga-world record set by Scott Robb