The species within the genus exhibit varying growth habits, often resembling trees or shrubs. They can also stretch out or creep to form dense thickets, and some species develop well-formed trunks. The green shoots of these plants are cylindrical in shape and feature distinctive cylindrical ribs. From these ribs, woolly areoles are present, from which strong spines emerge. Additionally, some species may have warts, while others do not. The
flowers are mostly borne near the
apex of the stems, funnel- or bell-shaped, and mostly nocturnal. The stem that supports the flowers (pericarpel) is often covered with numerous spiny areoles. They are considered easy to grow and generally grow slowly.
Stenocereus thurberi (the organ pipe cactus) is a well-known member of this
genus and is widely distributed in
Arizona and northern Mexico. The fruit is similar to a
dragon fruit. They are typically fleshy, up to 7.5 centimeters in length, and are adorned with thorns. The fruits tend to split open irregularly, and in most cases, the remnants of the flower remain attached until just before the fruit ripens. The seeds within the fruits are large, glossy, and usually dark black in color. They are also typically smooth in texture. Those of
Stenocereus gummosus, acidic and very refreshing, are highly favored by the
Seris of northwestern Mexico who call the cactus
ziix is ccapxl – "thing whose fruit is sour". It is commonly known in
Spanish as
pitaya agria, or by the English translation sour pitaya.
S. griseus (dagger cactus) fruits, locally known as
iguaraya, are relished by the
Wayuu people from the
Guajira Peninsula of
Colombia.
Stenocereus are often used as
ornamental plants in hot and arid regions, and as noted above, some species can double as a fruit crop. The interior of
Stenocereus trunks often grows to form tough, cane-like stakes suitable for certain kinds of construction. The Wayuu use those of Dagger Cactus for building
wattle and daub walls, a technique they call
yotojoro, after their name for the cactus wood "canes". ==Species==