Pereskia aculeata
Barbados Gooseberry, Lemon Vine, Tsunya, PeresciaFamily: Cactaceae
Origin: Caribbean and South America, escaped in Central America to Florida
The Barbados Gooseberry is a tropical treasure that combines beauty with edible delights. Despite being a cactus, it's not your typical prickly plant. Instead, it features climbing woody stems draped in succulent, alternately arranged leaves that can shift in color from green to red, yellow, or purple. In late summer, it delights with clusters of fragrant white flowers that fill your garden with a sweet aroma.
The Barbados Gooseberry is a truly fascinating and unusual addition to any self-sustaining landscape. Combining the traits of both a cactus and a leafy vine, this fast-growing plant offers beauty, practicality, and a productive food source all in one.
This low-maintenance plant is perfect for covering fences or walls, providing greenery while quickly growing to create a beautiful, natural screen. When in bloom, it's adorned with clusters of fragrant white flowers, followed by bright orange, tangy fruits that are edible and delicious. The small, spiny fruits resemble gooseberries and can be enjoyed fresh, stewed, or made into jams and jellies. The young leaves are also edible and can be cooked as greens for an added nutritional boost.
In addition to being visually appealing, the Barbados Gooseberry is practical, offering a food source for your garden with very little water needed. It thrives in humid conditions, with good drainage, and prefers moist soil in summer, while keeping drier during the winter. Whether as a climbing vine for fences or a low-maintenance edible addition to your garden, this unique cactus is a must-have for any tropical landscape.
Similar plants:
- Leuenbergeria bleo, Pereskia bleo, Pereskia corrugata (Rose cactus, Wax rose, Perescia)
- Leuenbergeria portulacifolia, Pereskia portulacifolia (Pink Rose Cactus)
- Leuenbergeria quisqueyana, Pereskia quisqueyana (Rosa de Bayahibe)
- Pereskia aculeata Godseffiana (Lemon Vine, Tsunya, Perescia)
- Quiabentia verticillata, Quiabentia pereziensis, Pereskia verticillata (Quiabentia)
- Quiabentia zehntneri, Pereskia zehntneri (Quiabento)
- Rhodocactus grandifolius, Pereskia grandifolia, Pereskia grandiflora (Rose Cactus, Wax Rose, Perescia, Bastard Rose)
This unique plant produces small, spiny fruits that resemble gooseberries, with a delightful, pleasant flavor. The fruits are edible and can be enjoyed fresh, stewed, or made into jams and jellies. Even the young leaves are edible, making them a nutritious addition to your meals. The fruit is yellow with a juicy, subacid pulp, and has a flavor that closely resembles a gooseberry.
As a vining cactus shrub, the Barbados Gooseberry bears spines in pairs or trios and thrives in conditions that offer some humidity. It prefers good drainage but likes its soil to remain moist during the summer, while being kept drier in the winter. It's propagated by seed or cutting and is perfect for adding both beauty and function to your garden, provided you give it the right care.
Recommended Fertilizer: SUNSHINE Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster
SUNSHINE C-Cibus (NPK 2-2-4) - Crop Booster for every watering. 
SUNSHINE C-Cibus (NPK 2-2-4) - Crop Booster for every watering.