Prickly pear - a diverse genus of cacti with a characteristic structure. Its branches consist of many flat rounded lobes. The cactus is home to the vastness of Mexico and some areas of both Americas. In addition to its remarkable appearance, the plant has a number of useful properties and can produce tasty fruits. Caring for prickly pear prickly pear is very simple, so many flower growers will gladly settle this exotic beauty from the Cactus family in their home.
Botanical Description
Prickly pears are common in arid subtropics and savannahs. They live on sandy and sandy loam soil, prefer small elevations. The rhizome of the plant does not go much deeper and is very branched. On the surface are fleshy flat lobes with rounded shapes. They can be attached to each other in a very intricate way and vary greatly in size. The entire surface of the prickly pear is covered with long stiff spines. In nature, there are not only erect dense thickets, but also creeping forms of a cactus with drooping stems.
Prickly pear flowering begins in April and lasts until the end of August. Small green bumps are formed on the surface of the ribs, which quickly increase and acquire a pinkish tint. The bell-shaped flower consists of several rows of wide, thin petals. Coloring of flowers happens all shades of pink, raspberry, scarlet and burgundy. There are decorative forms with yellow, orange and white colors. Flowering in nature is very plentiful, but in culture it is very difficult to achieve.
In place of flowers after pollination, fleshy cylindrical berries ripen. Juicy, sweet pulp contains many large seeds. Prickly pear can develop a new shoot from the fruit, which later also releases flowers. At the same time, seeds are not tied in the pulp. This unpredictability of development is called proliferation.
Beneficial features
From ancient times, the flesh and fruits of prickly pear were valued as a food and medicine. Cactus juice extract is used to speed up metabolism and create anti-obesity drugs.
Fruits are widely used in cooking. They are baked, dried, boiled jam and eaten raw. The fruit pulp is rich in vitamin C, potassium and calcium. However, you can eat berries of only certain varieties of prickly pears.
Cactus flowers and stems are used for the manufacture of medicinal ointments, creams and cosmetics. Decoctions of them help to cope with diseases of the liver and circulatory system.
In Mexico, prickly pears are often grown for cochineal purposes. This aphid settles on a cactus and actively reproduces. Then the workers collect the female insects and make them the popular red dye, known here as carmine. It is used in the food industry.
Types of prickly pear
In the genus Opuntia, there are about 160 species of plants. Many of them are simply gigantic. Among suitable for indoor cultivation, the following varieties are distinguished:
The prickly pear is small-haired. The plant is a large branched shrub up to 1 m high. The egg-shaped stems are covered with rare areoles with single hard spines. It blooms with light yellow flowers in the form of bells with a diameter of 3-5 cm. In place of the flowers, red-purple berries ripen in the shape of a small barrel.
Prickly pear Berger. A tall bushy plant has a bright green stem. Ovoid lobes in length grow to 25 cm. In rare areoles, yellowish long spines are located. During flowering, it is abundantly covered with orange-yellow bells.
Prickly pear prickly. This creeping plant consists of small light green lobes. The length of each segment does not exceed 4 cm. Their surface is densely covered with thin, short needles. Orange flowers are in the form of a wide open bell.
Prickly pears are brittle. A low erect plant consists of highly branched stems. A distinctive feature is that the shares have a rounded rather than flattened shape. The length of the segments is only 2-3 cm. Very small whitish spines are located in small areoles. Blooms in light yellow flowers.
Plant propagation
Opuntia is propagated by planting seeds or rooting cuttings. At the end of spring or summer, it is enough to separate one of the segments without flowers and signs of spoilage. The cut site is treated with crushed activated carbon and dried in air for 3-4 days. Landing is performed in disinfected river sand, which is moistened in advance. Strongly deepen the stalk is not necessary. The seedlings are covered with a film and kept in a bright place (but without direct sunlight) at a temperature of + 20 ° C. Roots appear within 2-3 weeks, after which you can transplant prickly pear.
Seed propagation is difficult due to too tight seed coat. Landing is planned for early March. First you need to rub the skin well with sandpaper or a file. Then the seeds are soaked for half an hour in a weak solution of manganese and sown in a mixture of sand with activated carbon and sheet earth. Soil should be preliminarily calcined. Seeds are deepened by 2-3 cm and covered with a film. The greenhouse is also kept in a bright and warm place. Ventilate the plants daily and spray the soil with water. Seedlings germinate in a month, but they are kept in the greenhouse for another 2 years.
Cactus Care at Home
Caring for prickly pear at home is very simple. She prefers bright rooms, but does not like direct rays of the midday sun. With insufficient lighting, the plant may stop growing and die. South rooms are preferred, as well as windowsills with an east-west orientation.
The usual temperature in the room for a cactus is quite comfortable. He loves warmth, but can grow in cool rooms. In winter, a cactus needs a resting period at an air temperature of + 8 ... + 12 ° C.
Opuntia is undemanding to air humidity. She does not need spraying, but a warm shower to remove dust does not harm the plant.
It is necessary to water prickly pears. The fleshy stalk stores enough moisture so as not to suffer from drought. In spring and summer, the soil is moistened weekly; from autumn, watering is halved.
Prickly pears do not need frequent top dressing. During the period of active vegetation, it is enough to introduce the mineral complex for cacti once a month. The drug is diluted in large quantities of water and watered with soil.
A prickly pear transplant is performed in the spring, every 1-3 years. It is enough for adult plants in tubs to renew the soil surface. The pot is selected wide and steady. Drainage material is poured into the bottom.
The soil for prickly pear is made up of:
- clay (2 parts);
- river sand (2 parts);
- soddy soil (1 part);
- leafy soil (4 parts).
In the process of transplantation, you must be extremely careful. Thin spines cause a lot of inconvenience. In places of punctures burning sensation is felt for a long time.
Diseases and Pests
Opuntia suffers from rot due to improper watering, as well as high dampness in the room. If soft dark patches appear on the plant, they need to be trimmed and treated with fungicide. It is also necessary to change the conditions of detention, otherwise the cactus will continue to hurt.
Scabies, mealybug, aphids, spider mites occasionally settle on stems. To quickly get rid of parasites, a series of insecticide treatments should be performed. The rules of spraying and their frequency are indicated in the instructions for the drug.
