Cacti & Succulents
Prickly pear plants are a common sight in much of the US , and their delicious edible pads and fruit may explicate why . We supply spring up tips !
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Prickly pear plants ( Opuntia spp . ) are a large genus of cacti native to the Americas . They are both edible and decorative industrial plant of historical significance in southwest United States and Mexico . One even appear on the flag of Mexico as part of the res publica ’s creation narrative .
Prickly pear plants are popular for their distinctive pads and colored fruit , both of which are highly nutritious . These industrial plant are hardy and easy to rise , which make them a popular pick for gardeners . However , when growing briery pear tree , it is of import to recognise that this is a prolific plant that can spread and raise into a dim colony under the right condition .
Opuntiais a declamatory plant genus with many species . Their specific growth needs and geographies vary , but all be given to favor full Sunday and well - draining dirt . Prickly pear works are a great add-on of visual interest and nip to many gardens .
Quick Care Guide
All About Prickly Pear Plants
waspish pear are part of the genusOpuntiaand subgenusPlatyopuntia , or “ flat - Opuntia ” , because of their distinctive overweight pads that heap on top of each other . As they grow , novel pads develop on top of old ones . These pad are covered in spine and are typically green to blue in colour .
One variety , theO. santa rita , is strike because of its bright reddish blue coloring . Due to their shape , prickly pear flora are also known as boat paddle cactus and jointed cactus . bristly pear cactus are known for their showy pink , orangish , red , or chicken efflorescence which can blossom under the correct conditions in bounce or summer .
The flowers result in edible , Pyrus communis - shaped fruits which are call cactus pear or Anguilla sucklandii yield . These fruits could take on many different vividness such as green , chickenhearted , blood-red , or purpleness . The appearing of flowers , fruits , spines , and pads are all dependent on environmental conditions .
Prickly pear plant are well adapted to arid mood which think that they have astray - spreading and fibrous root to maximize their surface orbit to bewitch limited wet . They also have the capableness of fixing carbon dioxide at nighttime and closing their stoma during the twenty-four hour period to assist with urine retention .
They most commonly diffuse vegetatively when pads break off and theme , but can also spread over large distance in the droppings of animal who consume the fruits . novel plant can grow year - round and require minimal precaution once set up .
Certain metal money ofOpuntiaare native to the American southwest while others uprise from Mexico and the West Indies . Prickly Pyrus communis can also be find in other neighborhood of the world such as around the Mediterranean basin , Africa , and Australia . Of the nearly sixty different mintage ofOpuntia , one species , O. aurantiaca , is federally sort as a noxious weed .
Prickly pear pads and fruits are both regard superfoods for their high nutritional note value but need to be prepared with care . While some prickly pear plant have large spines , others have hair’s-breadth - similar barbed bristle that can annoy the skin . The pads or nopales can be sliced and pickled , juiced , or cook and used in salad . The fruits can be eat raw or used to make jams , jellies , confect , wines , and syrups .
There are many extra uses for prickly pear plants include as livestock feed and even natural dye . The succus of mature fruits has been historically used to dye woollen or fabric due to the strength of the coloration and also antifungal and antibacterial prop .
Prickly Pear Varieties
setaceous pear tree are part of a large genus ofOpuntiaplants with many kind and nearly 60 species . Here are a few common diversity :
Opuntia ficus indica , ordinarily lie with as Indian fig or barbary fig , is a species aboriginal to Mexico and Central America . It is wide cultivated around the world as a domesticize crop for its fresh eatable fruits . A distinctive specimen has a risque - greenish colouration , loggerheaded and flat pads , and orangish or icteric flower . It produce well in poor soil conditions and under high-pitched temperatures .
Opuntia humifusais a sprawl species native to the eastern United States and Canada and is commonly hump as the easterly prickly pear cactus . It has clump of pocket-size , orotund pads and showy pink or yellow bloom . Because this species can put up cold temperatures , it is one of the only prickly pear plants that can be found throughout the eastern U.S. and even as far north as Ontario .
Native Americans not only ate the pads and the fruit for solid food but also used them for medicinal benefit . This species tends to shrivel and dry up in the winter but will regain its blue - dark-green color start in former spring to early summertime .
Opuntia microdasysis also have sex as holy person ’s wings , bunny ears , or polka - dotted cactus for their clusters of keen yellow-bellied glochids . It is aboriginal to northerly Mexico and southwestern U.S. This species is not frost tolerant liken with the easterly prickly pear and will take to be brought indoors during stale spills . It is also normally grown as a houseplant .
Other well - make out diverseness of prickly pear flora include beavertail cactus ( Opuntia basilaris ) , reddish blue prickly pear ( Opuntia santa - rita ) , pancake prickly pear ( Opuntia chlorotica ) , giant prickly pear ( Opuntia streptacantha ) , Texas prickly pear ( Opuntia engelmannii ) , and coastal burry pear ( Opuntia littoralis ) .
In repeated cool seasons , prickly pear cacti can grow up to 12 fundament improbable and 4 feet wide . full and waxy ones can have pads that grow up to 6 in retentive and can reach 20 base tall .
Planting Prickly Pear Cactus
bristled pear cactus is an easy visual interest to add to your garden or home . They can be plant at any time of year , but the best prison term to grow them is during the warm months of the yr when the stain is warm and there is full Lord’s Day .
As with many succulents , implant astuteness is important to preclude rotting . Young prickly pear pads should be able to bear good and at a depth of around ½ to ¾ inches below the land control surface at its mysterious .
Prickly pear cactus prefer well - drain grunge and full sunlight . They are extremely drought tolerant and can grow in a variety of soils , but they do best in sandy or rough filth . They can be planted in the priming coat or in container , as long as the container has ample drainage .
Prickly pears , like many succulents , can be easy settle and propagated . While it is potential to start them from seed , the germination rates are low and it take a long fourth dimension for the works to farm .
Prickly Pear Plant Care
Prickly pear cactus is relatively downhearted upkeep and can thrive with the right mix of sunlight , water , and nutrients . right care and fecundation can boost fruit production . One of the most common mistakes when it comes to caring for spiny pear tree plant is trying to give it too much dearest by overwatering .
Sun and Temperature
Prickly pear cactus thrives under full Sunday conditions . It ’s best to grow them in an area that experience ample and unmediated sunlight per daytime . While mostOpuntiacactus are not tolerant of cold weather , there are specific coinage that can be hardy down to geographical zone 3b and fly high in the cooler climates of Canada .
Water and Humidity
As desert indweller , these cacti are highly adapt to hold out in waterless conditions and juiceless weather . Water your plant every 10 - 14 day or whenever the territory is altogether ironical at a depth of 2 - 3 inches below the surface . Do not water if this region has any wetness . You may need to reduce irrigation in the winter months with shorter daylight hours and less evaporation .
When the nighttime temperature drop below 60 ° F , stop over watering wholly . These plants are often recommended to drought - conscious gardeners as a water system - effective ornamental . utilise universal tearing best practices , and keep irrigation near to the base of the plant or else of overhead .
Soil
setaceous pear cactus prosper in well - drain soil and can even stomach pathetic soil condition . If you ’re growing these plant life as a houseplant , choice acactus potting mixto ensure that the filth is suited . bristly pear plants do not have specific pH prerequisite and can grow in wretched dirt tone .
Fertilizing Prickly Pear Cactus
Most agriculturist do not use additional fertilizer for prickly pear , as water is the most of import factor that impacts the health and emergence of the plant . However , if you plan to have large harvest of diggings , you may use a more N - ground fertilizer .
Pruning Prickly Pear Cactus
Pruning prickly pear cactus is not generally command unless the purpose is to see to it the enlargement of the plant life , take cuttings or withdraw a damaged or diseased incision . There are several pathogens that can bear upon prickly pears .
The remotion of these disease sections will aid oversee the spread of the disease , specially if the pathogen circulate through sporulation . Pads on the lower part of the plant are the most vulnerable to disease due to the relatively higher humidness near those domain .
Prickly Pear Cactus Propagation
thorny pear cactus can be propagate using a mixture of methods , let in cutting , seeds , and grafting .
The most common and effective method acting of propagation is to take pad cuttings , similar to how prickly pear spreads in the wild . utilize rub alcohol to hygienise tools before commence . Snip a healthy digs off of a mature flora and await a few day for the wounding to dry . Place the cut - side down into a sens with soil and piddle well . The press clipping will root within a hebdomad days . finally , new pad will bud from the margins of the press clipping .
Another method is to institute seeds although the germination charge per unit can be low . Take a ripe fruit and wash aside any yield pulp surrounding the seed . Use a sharp instrument or sandpaper to scarify the elusive forbidden cum coat and then sop the seeds for several Day before embed . Make certain the source are buried very shallowly to promote sprouting .
We at Epic Gardening have a office that details both taking cuttings and growing from germ forprickly pear cactus propagation .
The third and more commercially used method of extension is grafting . This technique is typically used to bring about a more suitable increase habit , prime , or increase the plant ’s survivability by graft it onto dauntless root line of descent . This method acting is very prison term intensive and not typically used by the home gardener .
Harvesting and Storing Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly pear cacti can be harvested for their heavy pad or for fruits . Make certain to manage both with concern as to not injure yourself in the process . Do not wash the pads or yield until after the back and glochids have been get rid of . Even spineless varieties can still induce pique from their tiny glochidium .
Harvesting
Prickly pear fruits must be harvested when ripe because they will not extend to ripen once picked . In North America , their season typically starts in August and cease in September . Once the yield has been harvested , it can be stash away in the refrigerator for several daytime or serve and frozen for farseeing - term storage .
One of the near ways of harvesting is to use tongs in summation to wearing boxing glove . Gently squeeze them to test for ripeness . The fruit are quick to be pick when the tongs forget behind a slight indentation . The sizing and color may not always be the best meter reading of ripeness since that look on the variety .
utilize the pair of tongs to cautiously twist the fruit until it separates from the pad of paper . Because the glochids on the fruits can be very sharp and bantam , they may stimulate annoyance if not murder . Use the tongs to hold the fruit in place while using a long lighter to fire the outside of the fruit .
These glochids easy burn off and can make processing gentle . you may also char off the outside using tongs and the fire of a gas stove . execute the charred fruit under water and use a vegetable brush to remove the skin .
expend pair of tongs and wear thick gloves when harvesting prickly pear launchpad . bow the pad aside from the supporting pad underneath . Make a sportsmanlike cut at the joint using sanitise tools such as a sharp knife . It is better to harvest the pads in the sunrise because the acid mental object in them varies throughout the Clarence Day .
reap younger pads rather than large launchpad for a more cranky grain . Use a tongue to cautiously cut away the spines or needle beds and undress the stamp pad to enter the human body . Nopal cactus is an ingredient useable in grocery computer memory . Typically , commercial growers grow spineless nopales variety show for culinary use .
Storing
Prickly pear yield can be stored for several days in the icebox before use . Whole fruits can also be hive away in the freezer as one of the stair to juicing . waspish pear juice can be stored for up to one year in the Deepfreeze . Juices can also be made into jelly , candies , electronic jamming , syrups , and even alcohol-dependent drinks to extend the shelf life .
If you ’re not using the fruits for juice , peel them , take away the source , and slit them into pungency - sized chunks . localize the firearm in a single layer on a tray until frozen . They can then be shift into freezer bags and stored for several calendar month .
burred pear pads can not be stored for long - terminal figure in the icebox due to their high water content and tendency to sprain worthless . While they can be wintry or pressure level canned like fleeceable beans , these processes will modify the texture of the frame to be mushier . Prickly pear cactus can be preserved as a kettle of fish or dehydrated using the oven or a dehydrator to 175 ° F degrees over several hours to assist with long - term entrepot .
Troubleshooting
Prickly pear is typically an easy works to deal for , but there might be some common issues associated with growing conditions , pests , and diseases . It ’s important to observe the plant and narrow down down the potential causes to find the right solutions .
Growing Problems
The most coarse growing problems can occur due tooverwatering . Root rotis an subject that can occur when the soil is too tight for too long . It is authoritative to let the soil dry completely between tearing and not to swallow up cuttings too deep to prevent this issue . Having passable draining is also important for healthy growth . ill draining soil will also increase the luck of theme decomposition .
Underwateringcan also hap , especially with houseplant . The pads will wilt , yellow , and brown , and eventually die if not water system for a long period of prison term .
Various weather condition conditions can also cause some maturation issue . Sunscaldis potential even for desert works if they were originally grown in greenhouses and nurseries . erythema solare on cactus manifest in large suntan patch that will finally scar .
If you are purchasing cacti from a nursery and plan to use them in the landscape painting , you should slowly move the industrial plant outside for a few hours a solar day to aid them acclimatise to a unlike surroundings and full sun . Transplanting in tardy winter might also help to prevent burn since the solar ray of light are less intense .
Robert Frost and freezecan damage mintage that are not frigid - tolerant . pick out the right species for your local conditions and cover your plant with a be adrift row screening or cotton sheet in subject of an ill-timed moth-eaten spell . If your plants are potted in containers , they can be moved indoors until the atmospheric condition ameliorate .
Hailcan also make some price to prickly pear plant life and can be mitigate using these same methods .
Pests
With its needlelike spines and devil barb , the prickly pear cactus has a natural defense system against many animals and common pest . However , there are several insect that are not put off by their formidable coming into court .
Cochineal scale(Dactylopius coccus ) is amealybug - likescale insectthat secretes a whitened , waxy outer software ; it looks like tufts of cotton on the stems and inkpad of the flora . To control this insect , break down the insect and look for deep red body fluid . Crushed musical scale was used traditionally as cochineal dye . The scale can be washed away by a firm stream of water or an coating of insecticidal soap .
Cactus longhorn beetle(Moneilema gigas ) is another common pest that attacks several types of cacti include those in theOpuntiagenus . grownup beetles range from 1 - 1 ¼ inch in length and are shining and black in appearance . They run to feed along the margins of the pads and their larvae might tunnel through the stems and antecedent which will have the plant to croak .
The mallet are dynamic in former mornings and evenings and are easy to recognize to break up off . Hand - pick this pest usually can aid to get the matter under command . Very spiny variety are typically not strike due to their raw defenses .
During retentive periods of drought , humble mammals might nibble on the cactus to admittance water . These plants can recover from a few bites and no additional ascendance are demand .
Several insects have also been used as a biological controller to manipulate the cattle ranch of invasive cacti . Thecactus moth(Cactoblastis cactorum ) was successfully used against encroaching cacti in Australia and was introduced from South America . The larvae of this moth burrows into the pads and consumes the flesh from the interior .
The intrusion also make believe the plants more vulnerable to secondary fungal and bacterial infections . This insect is not feel in North America . Other species of louse have been used in the U.S. which include the North American cactus moth ( Melitara dentata ) , the blue cactus borer ( Olycella subumbrella ) , and the cactus bug ( Chelinidea vittiger ) .
Diseases
bristled pears are stalwart and bouncy plant that are not susceptible to many disease . There are only two to be mindful of .
Phyllostictapad spotis make by a fungous pathogen . The fungus will give rise minuscule , black reproductive structures that result in black-market lesions onOpuntiaspecies . Spores spread quickly through pelting or malarky and can make heavy infections after blotto periods . The dear means to battle this disease is to keep the pads dry and to transfer any pads with seeable lesions . In case of a severe contagion , the entire plant should be hit .
Like thePhyllostictapad office , another disease , Sammons ’ computer virus , also does not have control methods besides removal of the infected portion or the whole works . This computer virus is closely related to the TobaccoMosaic Virusand is categorise as a Tobamovirus . Like TMV , this virus results in yellow annulus at the tip of the pads . The infections do not seem to make obtrusive damage to plant health .
Frequently Asked Questions
Q : Where does prickly pear grow best ?
A : Grow prickly pear plants in cheery locations with gravelly to sandy soil . Often , plant in the wild can be found on the rough side of south - facing incline and hills . They are well suited for arid to semi - arid landscape .
Q : How fast does prickly pear get ?
A : Under the right status , prickly pears can quickly colonise an country through vegetative propagation and shape a dense settlement . This posture some concern for wildlife and the pasture quality of land . During drought years , they can typically outperform other native plants like grasses .
Q : Why are burred pears a problem ?
A : They can broadcast rapidly if uncurbed in wild areas around the world and is a exceptional way out in Australia . There is also one species that is assort as a noxious locoweed in the U.S. A distinctive land management drill is to use schedule burn to keep in line their spread . However , plants can be easy managed in rest home gardens .
Q : Are prickly pears loose to grow ?
A : Yes , prickly pear are easy to grow once established .
Q : Can you touch prickly pear ?
A : No , you should not touch them because they have detachable spines or sharp hairs called glochids . Both can cause discomfort and skin irritation . It ’s best to handle prickly pear plants with heavy - obligation caoutchouc baseball mitt and tongs .
Q : What month do bristly pear bloom ?
A : Prickly pears typically flower from late leaping to late summertime reckon on the specific variety and growing environment . Some can begin bloom as early as April while others wo n’t start until former summertime . The months in bloom also bet on in which hemisphere these plants are grown .
Q : What is the lifespan of a prickly Pyrus communis cactus ?
A : These plant have a across-the-board lifespan depending on the variety and can live a foresighted life under suitable conditions . TheOpuntia ficus indica , for instance , can populate up to 80 year .
Q : Can you wipe out a prickly pear yield raw ?
A : Yes , you may eat sore prickly pear fruit or juice the yield to consume as a drunkenness or to be used as a natural dye . The most commonly devour variety is theO. ficus indica .
