Prickly pear

Family. Cactaceae.

Origin. Northern Mexico.

Description. Opuntia or Nopalea is a very large and widespread genus of cacti. It is an unusual, attractive plant, which in its youth often resembles the shape of a hare's head with ears.

The cactus consists of flattened oval segments, each of which bears several small young segments of the next generation at the top.

The surface of the segments is covered with areoles, from which light spines protrude.

The flowers, up to 6 cm in diameter, are yellow, white or pink, appear in the spring along the edges of the segments and after flowering turn into oblong red or purple fruits, which are considered edible and tasty.

Height. Over time it can reach 2 m in height, growing relatively quickly.

Care at home

Reproduction 

It is successfully propagated by stem cuttings, which are separated with a sharp sterile instrument and dried for 1-2 days. Rooting is carried out in a damp mixture of peat and sand.

It is possible to grow prickly pear from seeds, but this process will take a long time. Seeds can be sown in spring or summer in well-drained soil. Seedlings and cuttings are covered with glass to maintain uniform humidity.

When it blooms 

Spring Summer. At home, buds form only in response to competent care and care.

How to care 

Opuntia has gained popularity due to its undemanding conditions and very cute appearance. The only thing this cactus is afraid of is over-watering, otherwise representatives of the genus are unpretentious and do not impose special requirements for care. In the summer months, the flower can be placed on the balcony, loggia or even taken out into the garden. With such placement, make sure that direct sunlight does not fall on the shoots during the daytime, and the plant should also be protected from strong wind and rain.

Soil 

The soil should easily pass water and air, pH not higher than 6.5. A mixture of leaf humus, turf soil with a large amount of coarse river sand or perlite to improve drainage and small pieces of charcoal is suitable. You can use a ready-made substrate for cacti and succulents. 

How to replant

Unglazed clay pots with large drainage holes are best for planting, as their walls allow the roots to breathe. Adult specimens are replanted in the spring, every 2-3 years, with the beginning of new growth. After replanting, watering is stopped for about 7 days.

Diseases and pests 

If there is too much moisture, the root system and stems may rot. If the plant is kept too cold, brown spots will appear on the stems.

Among the harmful insects, the flower can be attacked by mealybugs, aphids, scale insects, and nematodes.

Watering 

Watering should be regular during the growing season - between waterings only the top layer of soil dries out. In autumn and winter the substrate is kept almost completely dry.

Temperature

Prickly pear grows well in temperatures between 21 and 37 °C (70 to 100 °F), but requires cooler temperatures during the winter months. During the dormant period, temperatures should be 10 - 18 °C (50 - 64 °F).

Feeding 

Fertilize monthly with a low-nitrogen fertilizer at half strength. During the dormant period, feeding is stopped.

Light 

Provide the cactus with as much light as possible; light shading is necessary only on summer days.

Spraying 

Does not require spraying and does not like drafts - do not place the pot near doorways.

Note

Since the indoor prickly pear acquires impressive dimensions with age, provide it with enough free space for development. The thick, oval, fleshy, modified stems of this cactus are eaten in its homeland - Mexico.  When working with prickly pear, be careful - its small spines are easily separated from the stems and dig into the skin, from where they can only be removed with tweezers. The plant is often used as a rootstock for more capricious cacti.

Varieties:

Prickly pear ficus-indica

A large cactus with a height of 1.5 to 3 m. In natural conditions it can reach 5 m. As adults, plants form a strong trunk. On the trunk there are oblong - oval, flattened, thick, fleshy, green leaves from 30 to 60 cm long with small areoles. The leaves have short, thick, straight spines. The flowers are bright, yellow, orange, sometimes red. The plant has juicy, edible fruits - berries, which acquire a red tint when ripe and reach a length of 8 cm. According to various sources, the fruits of this cactus have been eaten for 9,000 years. 

Prickly pear microdasys

A very attractive cactus with round or oblong oval green segments. The segments are thick, fleshy, covered with closely spaced areoles. Each halo is capable of bearing many short, white or yellow spines. Young leaves are often burgundy in color. In spring or early summer, lemon-yellow flowers up to 5 cm in diameter appear on the plant. Unfortunately, this cactus blooms infrequently in indoor culture. When pollinated, prickly pears produce purple or reddish fruits up to 5 cm long. Despite its attractive appearance, this cactus should be handled with caution - its small spines dig into the skin and remain as splinters. 

Prickly pear bergeriana

A large shrub cactus up to 4.5 m high with oblong oval, green, thick leaves, each of which can reach a length of 40 cm. In the warm season, the plant forms bright red flowers. These cacti bloom even at a fairly young age. The leaf segments have sparsely spaced areoles with long pinkish or orange, strong, straight spines. 

Prickly pear subulata or austrocylindropuntia

The genus Austrocylindropuntia or Prickly pear subulata includes eleven species of South American cylindrical prickly pears. It is typically a thin, columnar white and very fluffy cactus. The cactus has cylindrical stems with a diameter of 3 cm, pubescent with long white hairs; young stems have noticeable round succulent leaves with a diameter of about 3 cm, which soon fall off. The flowers are yellow, orange or red on strong, spiny floral tubes, appearing at the top of the stem. The fruits of the cactus are fleshy and round. The areoles have numerous small white spines up to 1 cm long. Among this species there are cacti without thorns. 

Cylindropuntia

Cylindropuntias are branched cacti with green stems consisting of oblong cylindrical segments. The segments are covered with low pyramidal tubercles, on the tops of which there are strong straight spines and rudimentary leaves. The flowers are attractive, although often half-closed, in pastel colors - yellow, red, orange or greenish, up to 3 cm in diameter, appearing at the tops of the segments. 

Prickly pear monacantha

Abundantly branching shrub like this one with back-ovate or oblong-lanceolate green, thick leaves 10 to 35 cm long and 8 to 12 cm wide. The leaves have areoles, each of which carries from 1 to 3 yellow, reddish or brown spines. The flowers are large - with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm, yellow. When pollinated, the plants produce reddish, fleshy, juicy fruits up to 6 cm long. 

Among the plants of this variety, specimens of the variegated prickly pear - Prickly pear monacantha var. variegata. 

Brasiliopuntia

Brasiliopuntia is a tree-like cactus up to 20 m high in nature. The stems are erect, rigid, with a diameter of 20 - 35 cm at the base, consisting of cylindrical, up to 1 m in length, as well as flat or ovoid segments. The leaves are small, fleshy, flat, dark green, up to 15 cm long and about 6 cm wide. Brown or reddish vertical needles up to 1.5 cm in length grow from the areoles. The flowers are yellow, light brown, slightly less than 6 cm in length, appear only at the ends of the branches of adult plants about 1 m high, and open in turn. The fruits are small, round or pear-shaped, red, orange, yellow, and even purple, with a diameter of 2.5 - 4 cm, edible and have a rather pleasant taste. The seeds are large, up to 10 mm. 

Prickly pear robusta

A very large shrubby cactus, the distinctive feature of which is the presence of round or reverse-ovate, green or bluish-green, thick leaves. The diameter of each leaf can reach 50 - 60 cm. The leaves bear sparsely spaced halos with large, up to 7 cm long, light, straight spines. During the flowering period, yellow flowers are abundantly formed on the upper surface of the leaves, which, upon pollination, turn into burgundy fruits covered with a bluish coating. The fruits are considered edible, but due to the fact that they do not have a distinct taste, they are used to feed animals.

Prickly pear leucotricha

A beautiful cactus that is used in Mexico as animal feed or human food. They are shrubs or even small trees with a height of 3 to 5 m. With age, the plants form trunks covered with long white bristles, which is why they got their name. The leaves are emerald green, oblong-oval, thick, bearing densely spaced areoles with long, straight spines. Young leaves that have just appeared often have a lighter shade. The flowers are lemon yellow and appear at the top of the leaves. The fruits are fragrant, yellow or red, with a pleasant taste.