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Night-blooming cactus


Question
I have a night-blooming cactus (Cereus sp.) which was given to me.  It usually blooms after 10pm on Aug 7 with a gorgeous white 6-8 inch flower.  The growth pattern of the plant seems to be that it puts out long (4-8 feet) stems and makes a fleshy leaf from which the buds develop.  
My question:  where does this plant grow in the wild?  What does it use for support, if anything?  

Answer
My profile states that my experience is limited to zone 6 and colder.  I do not believe Cereus to be a wildflower in these zones.  According to the American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants, the genus Cereus originates in South America and the West Indies.  The descriptions of the species therein, however, describe them all as columnar and treelike.  I can think of two explanations: they flop under culture, or the night-blooming Cereus is misnamed and really isn't a Cereus at all.

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