Species of the genus Cereus were among the first to which the European conquerors met for the first in the New World and which were described scientifically among all cacti. For a long time, the genus Cereus covered all columnar and climbing cacti, but the modern taxonomy restricted it to 29 taxa. Most of the species in the genus Cereus are stereotypic columnar cactus with large, columnar, tree-like appearing and few, erectile branches, whereas there are some taxa which have a climbing, bushy habit. Unfortunately the internal relationships within the genus are poorly known. In the Botanical Garden of the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, a columnar species, Cereus jamacaru, and a climbing one, Cereus spegazzinii fa. haageana, were successfully crossed. The hybrid shows intermedium morphological characteristics in the habit and in both of the form and number of the ribs. Nevertheless, the floral characteristics, such as the pink colour of the style, resemble the pollen parent Cereus spegazzinii fa. haageana more.
