Opuntia monacantha - Drooping prickly pear is found growing along the coast but scarcer inland, and is often found on sand dunes in restinga...
Opuntia monacantha also called as Drooping prickly pear, Cochineal prickly pear, Barbary fig, Cactus indicus, Cactus monacanthos, Cactus urumbeba, Opuntia deflexa, Opuntia gracilior, Opuntia inermis, Opuntia lemaireana, Opuntia monacantha var. deflexa, Opuntia monacantha var. gracilior, Opuntia monacantha var. variegata, Opuntia roxburghiana, Opuntia vulgaris var. lemaireana, is a species of the genus Opuntia. This species was described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1819.
IDENTIFY OPUNTIA MONACANTHA - DROOPING PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia monacantha is native to Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Paraguay, Uruguay. It is found growing along the coast but scarcer inland, and is often found on sand dunes in restinga (sandy coastal areas), opencarrasco (upland dry forest plateaus) and in southern humid and subhumid forests. Where introduced, it is also found on coastland, in coastal scrub, moist savanna, agricultural areas and ruderal and disturbed sites. It is found on sandy beaches and cliffs in New Zealand, on seashores and slopes in China from sea level to 2000 m, and in Fiji on dry sites, often in agricultural areas or on waste land near sea level. In South Africa it invaded primarily the south and eastern coastal areas.
It is a succulent shrub or tree-like which growing to 5 meters tall with a definite trunk that is much branched at the top and has drooping upper branches. The branches are bright shiny green when young, narrowly obovate to oblong-lanceolate in outline, 10-35 cm long and 7.5-12.5 cm wide, with margins undulate toward the apex and bases somewhat cuneate. The branches bear areoles with 1-3 grey or yellowish to reddish brown spines with darker tips, while the trunk areoles have 10 or more spines. The leaves are minute and are deciduous.
Drooping prickly pear blooms every year between September and January, with a few flowers opening per day per individual for approximately 100 continuous days. The flowers are dark yellow with a reddish median stripe, up to 8 cm in diameter. The pear-shaped, red fruits are thornless and up to 7 centimeters long.
In cultivation Opuntia monacantha is perhaps best known in the form of its variety variegata: Opuntia monacantha f. monstruosa variegata. It is commonly known as Joseph's Coat is one of the very few naturally occurring white-variegated cacti. It is variegated or marbled with white, creamy-white, yellow, green and sometimes also with pink in varying patterns.
OPUNTIA MONACANTHA - DROOPING PRICKLY PEAR CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light and exposure:
Opuntia monacantha prefers a lot of light. Mature plants can tolerate heavy sun exposure and hot temperatures during the peak season. In the cooler months and winter, they are just fine indoors with bright indirect light from a window. Immature plants (under two years old) do well with lots of bright, indirect sunlight.
Temperature:
Drooping prickly pear are very hardy and can grow outdoors year-round in USDA hardiness zones 9 and above, where daytime temperatures are almost always above. Mature plants can tolerate very high temperatures during the day and desert-like drops in temperature overnight. They prefer hot, dry summers and cooler fall and winter months. The plant cannot tolerate temperatures lower than -4° C and you should never keep this plant in an area where the nighttime temperature falls lower than 5° C.
Soil:
Opuntia monacantha can tolerate poor soil conditions. If growing on the ground, it even tolerates heavy soil to some extent if it doesn't remain wet. However, it's best to grow it in well-drained, light, sandy and loamy soil. Avoid clay-rich soil that is not well draining and promotes water-stagnation.
Potting and repot:
Drooping prickly pear will grow just fine in a garden, they can be grown in pots as well. When keeping this plant as a potted plant, use standard, packaged succulent or cactus mix as potting soil with pH level of 6.1-7.8. For a mixture of own preparation, take: 3 parts of coarse sand or perlite, 2 parts of turf ground, 2 parts humus, 2 parts peat. You can also add brick chips.
As the plant grows, it will need repotting. Don’t repot to frequently, instead wait until the plant is somewhat root-bound. Most of the time, repotting every two years is adequate. Springtime is the ideal time to repot and propagate the plant. To repot, ensure the soil is dry, then remove the pot and knock away the old soil, remove rotten and damaged roots. After treating any cuts with fungicide, place the plant in a new pot and backfill it with potting soil. As with a new cutting, make sure not to water a newly repotting plant for at least a week to avoid rotting its roots.
Watering:
Opuntia monacantha is very sensitive to water therefore optimum irrigation should be provided during early stages of growth. The plants do not irrigate immediately after planting. Light watering should be done after 2-3 days of planting and there after irrigation should be given at 10-15 days interval up to one year. Fully established plantation requires light irrigation, 1-2 times a month is beneficial.
It is best to water thoroughly and then allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again. Make sure the plant has plenty of good drainage so it is never standing in water. Water extremely sparingly during the late fall and winter months. In the wintertime, it’s best to keep the plant dry.
Fertilizer:
Drooping prickly pear has very low fertilizer requirements. During growth, You can use a weak solution of water-soluble fertilizer for cacti once a month. Winter application of manures and fertilizers has been reported very effective in obtaining new sprouts. They reacts very well to organic manures which also improve the soil structure, nutrient content and water-holding capacity.
If you grow the plant for its pads, feed with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. If you prefer more flowers and fruits, give the plants a no-nitrogen fertilizer such as 0-10-10 once a month, even through the winter. During this dormant period, the plants require a bright situation and enough water only to keep the pads from shriveling.
Rest period:
This cacti does not need a rest period, but water should be reduced in winter. Pay attention throughout the year to a uniform soil moisture and the highest possible humidity.
Pruning and grooming:
Opuntia monacantha can be a grooming-free plant if you desire. You never need to prune them. Just cut off any unhealthy or unattractive parts as you wish to shape the plant and attain cuttings for propagation. Cut off flowers as they fade if you do not wish fruits to form. You may need to dust or rinse the plants occasionally. Use a feather duster for dusting and spray with the hose, outdoors in the summertime.
Propagation:
Drooping prickly pear are usually propagated from cuttings or root segments. The easiest way to propagate this plant is through stem division. The pads of the plant will root quickly and easily when placed in or on good, well-draining cactus or succulent soil. To grow from cuttings, choose a healthy-looking section and cut it off cleanly with a very sharp knife. Be sure to wear protective clothing, gloves and eye protection when handling this plant as the spines are so sharp. It is also propagated by seed that must be nicked and then pre-soaked at a temperature of 21° C overnight (seeds can hold for 1.5 months in a refrigerator), planted into a mixture of peat and sand and germinated, covered with foil and daily aerating and sprinkling crops. Seeds germinate long enough (up to 3 months). After the emergence of shoots, the film can be removed.
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