''Myrtillocactus geometrizans'' (bilberry cactus, whortleberry cactus, blue myrtle cactus, or blue candle) is a species of

cactus A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

in the genus '' Myrtillocactus'', native to central and northern

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

.Germplasm Resources Information Network
''Myrtillocactus geometrizans''

Description

''Myrtillocactus geometrizans'' is a large

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

by cactus growing to 4–5 m tall, with candelabra-like branching on mature plants. The individual stems are 6–10 cm diameter, with five (occasionally six) ribs, with

areole In botany, areoles are small light- to dark-colored bumps on cactus, cacti out of which grow clusters of Thorns, spines, and prickles, spines. Areoles are important diagnostic features of cactus, cacti, and identify them as a family distinct fr ...

s spaced 1.5–3 cm apart. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are creamy white, 2–2.5 cm diameter. They last less than one day. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

is an edible dark purple berry 1–2 cm diameter, superficially resembling ''

Vaccinium myrtillus ''Vaccinium myrtillus'' or European blueberry is a Holarctic realm, holarctic species of shrub with edible fruit of blue color, known by the common names bilberry, blaeberry, wimberry, and whortleberry. It is more precisely called common bilberr ...

'' (bilberry or whortleberry) fruit; both the scientific and English names derive from this resemblance.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan .

Cultivation

It is a popular species in cultivation, where young plants commonly remain unbranched for many years. The fruit is edible and sold for consumption in Mexico. The bilberry cactus is fast growing, and is often used as

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticulture, horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the roots ...

stock because of this. With favourable conditions it can reach heights of up to 15 feet. The ''fukurokuryuzinboku(福禄竜神木)'' cultivar from Japan, commonly known as "titty cactus" or "breast cactus," has unusually plump ribs shaped like human

breast The breasts are two prominences located on the upper ventral region of the torso among humans and other primates. Both sexes develop breasts from the same embryology, embryological tissues. The relative size and development of the breasts is ...

s. ''Fukurokuryuzinboku'', roughly translates to fortune (fuku), fief/happy (roku), dragon (ryu),

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

god/spirit (jin), tree (boku). It was named after

Fukurokuju In Japan, is one of the Seven Lucky Gods in Japanese mythology. It has been theorized that he is a Japanese Cultural assimilation, assimilation of the Chinese Three Star Gods () embodied in one deity. Most related in appearance to the Chines ...

and Ryujin, two of the

Seven Lucky Gods In Japanese mythology, the are believed to grant good luck and are often represented in netsuke and in artworks. One of the seven (Jurōjin) is said to be based on a historical figure. They all began as remote and impersonal gods, but graduall ...

Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology. The history of thousands of years of contac ...

. The glorp cultivar discovered in 2020 has an alien looking stem with mutated ribs. It is a very popular clone of myrtillocactus that has been mass propagated via

. This cultivar also commonly Fasciate or crests.Cite web, title=Myrtillocactus geometrizans cv. 'Glorp', url=https://www.sanpedrosource.com/products/glorp-myrtillocactus-geometrizans-glorp?srsltid=AfmBOorRf8SWAFFjyAgbFxjRYtsdBdVEyokG3gAIENlK3uwQL6tWMLrQ

Gallery

File:MartillocactusUNAM.JPG, ''Myrtillocactus geometrizans'' in

UNAM The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countries. It also has 34 ...

Botanical Garden,

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

File:Myrtillo blossom.jpg, Blossum and berry Myrtillocactus geometrizans variety Fukurokuryuzinboku.jpg, cultivar, commonly known as the "boob cactus"

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q287064 geometrizans Cacti of Mexico Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of Northeastern Mexico Garden plants of North America Drought-tolerant plants