Most tall prickly pears do not bloom in a roomy environment. But if you plant them in large tubs and take them out to the garden in the summer, round simple flowers with short red, yellow, white or orange petals can form on the lateral segments. Stamens are short, they are twisted when touched. The fruit is a berry, fairly meaty with light seeds. Seeds are similar in size to a grain of lentils. Because of the ossified shell of seeds, their germination is impossible in the conditions of the European climate.
Opuntia have an amazing feature: from seedless fruits, new shoots and flowers can develop. This phenomenon is called proliferation.
Care instructions
Evolutionary cactus prickly pear is adapted to a sharp temperature drop during the day, as it grows in semi-deserts, on mountain slopes and in the steppes.
Lighting. In the indoor setting, the Mexican cactus of the prickly pear requires good lighting and access to fresh air. She loves bright direct light, there is no need for shading. Ideal lighting for these cacti is open content on the south or south-east balconies. They can grow on the windows of the eastern and western orientation. The content of the prickly pear on the northern window leads to loss of natural appearance due to lack of light: the plant is strongly stretched, does not bloom. To avoid this, it is recommended to install an artificial light. After winter, when there were few light days, it is necessary to gradually accustom the plant to direct sunlight in the spring. When exposing the prickly pear to the open air, beware of sunburn. When forming buds, it is not recommended to change the position of the plant, as this will most likely lead to the loss of flowers.
Temperature regime. In summer, the prickly pear prefers a temperature in the range of 25-35 ° C. If it is not possible to expose the plant to open air, the room should often be ventilated. In autumn the air temperature is gradually lowered to prepare the cactus for the rest period. During the rest period, the prickly pear is kept in a light, but cool and dry place.
The optimum temperature is:
- For cacti from the western and central regions of the USA, the range is -5 ° C. Some species can be left in the open ground in the Moscow suburbs, where they overwinter under the snow cap.
- For species from Mexico, the range is 0-5 ° C.
- For species from South America, the range is 7-12 ° C.
Accurate observance of the temperature regime is especially important in autumn and winter, because warm air together with lack of light will not allow the prickly pear to go to the rest period and will lead to undesirable deformation of the plant.
Watering. Opuntia is a cactus that should be watered abundantly during warm periods of the year, making sure that the earthen cake completely dries up between waterings. It is recommended to water from below, so that the water drops do not fall on the stem of the plant, which causes plugging of pores with calcareous particles. This leads to a breach of breathing and stimulates croaking. In severe heat watering should be reduced. Since the metabolism of cacti in the day is suspended, and in the evening it is renewed to the full, it is recommended to water the plant after 17 hours. In the autumn-winter period, cacti are in a rest period, and watering them is not necessary, except for young cacti. Signs of the fact that the cactus needed watering is the loss of the turgor and the manifestation of the relief of the stem. Then you should carefully give the plant a small portion of water. Remember that at 10 ° C and below the prickly pear is not capable of absorbing water. Watering at this temperature will damage the plant. During the growing season, the first watering is carried out carefully using a small amount of water. To do this, it should be well defended and slightly acidified with citric acid - in the calculation of 0.5 teaspoon per 7 liters of water.
Top dressing. With the onset of the growing season, the Mexican cactus should be fed once a month, using special fertilizers for cacti. Do not recommend to feed in a rest period to prevent unwanted growth. Remember that in mineral fertilizers for cacti, the amount of nitrogen should be less relative to other elements, because excess nitrogen provokes decay of the roots. Adhere to the following proportion: N (nitrogen) - 9, P (phosphorus) - 18, K (potassium - 24. The use of organic fertilizers is not recommended.
Transfer. The transplant time is selected individually and depends on the characteristics of the species and the conditions of its growth. The right moment is when the cactus "pours" and thrives in growth. It should be remembered that in the presence of buds on prickly pears, the transplant should be postponed until the end of flowering. Young cacti are recommended to be transplanted every year if necessary, adult plants - every 3-4 years. Remember that you need to transplant from dry soil, too, into a dry one. After the transplant, the first watering is only 5-7 days. The selection of soil should be treated with attention. It should be sufficiently nutritious, well permeable to air and moisture, have a pH in the range of 4.5-6. The mixture usually used for cacti is not suitable, since it leads to inhibition of the growth of the prickly pear. It is recommended to use a mixture of sod and leaf earth with sand and weathered clay in a ratio of 1: 2: 1: 1. A good nuance is the addition to the substrate of a little charcoal or old plaster, the latter is used mainly in the cultivation of old prickly pears.
Reproduction. The vegetative method of prickly pear is multiplied by rooting cuttings. The technology of seed reproduction is poorly developed. The disadvantage is that shoots germinate unevenly and grow very slowly, but at the same time they are sufficiently large and resilient.
Pests: mealybug, scab, spider mite, whitefly.