Opuntia Blog

Spiderwort with Opuntia polyacantha

Think of South Dakota when you think of cactus country. Opuntia fragilis is found in South Dakota, as well as Escobaria missouriensis. And for sure, you can find O. polyacantha. All three species are found well into Canada.

This image shows spiderwort (Tradescandia sp.) growing with Opuntia polyacantha in South Dakota. For more images of Cacatus Country in South Dakota, click here.

Othonna capensis

Othonna capensis is not an ice plant, but you could be forgiven for supposing it was. It has succulent little leaves that call an ice plant to mind, and both are from South Africa. And the cheery yellow flowers seem a bit ice plant-like.

However, O. capensis, also known as little pickles, is a member of the sunflower family. It is hardy into USDA climate zone 5 and loves a sunny spot.

You can buy O. capensis from Shoal Creek Succulents.

This lovely photo came labelled as Trichocereus formosum. So, my question is, what is the name for this plant when it is considered as a member of Echinopsis?

Unidentified Echinopsis

Echinocactus horizonthalonius

These big (grapefruit-sized) cacti were growing in the Big Bend region of Texas. They are Echinocactus horizonthalonius, a western relative of the Texas horse crippler cactus (Echinocactus texensis). E. horizonthalonius is also a relative of the Mojave Desert E. polycephalus.

E. horizonthalonius typically grows in limestone-derived soils with very good drainage.

Many forms of this cactus are hardy to USDA climate zone 6, but they resent over watering. E. horizonthalonius is common enough in far West Texas and south-central New Mexico.

This coachwhip snake was photographed in the Big Bend region of Texas.

Coachwhip snake

The Big Bend area of Texas is an amazing place, with plants and wildlife in abundance. These vultures were photographed by a friend. It is not clear what type they are.

Vultures in Big Bend, settling in for the night

Delosperma seedlings, true leaves showing on middle plant

A few weeks ago I reported that my hardy Delosperma seedlings had germinated. They’ve been pretty slow growing since they popped out of their seeds; it think they were making roots. But, now they are growing a bit more and some are showing their first true leaves.

The true leaves are emerging from between the 2 cotyledons, sticking straight up, sort of like bunny ears.

The plants are doing fine under the fluorescent lights. I continue to grow them at room temperature with about 14 hours of light per day.

Coryphanthus echinus, photographed in Big Bend region, Texas

Coryphanthus echinus is a globular cactus that seldom offsets; it has bright yellow flowers. Some plants may have areoles with a porrect central spine, whereas other areoles lack such a spine. The plants are generally easy to grow and have a reputation of being cold hardy (to USDA climate zone 6).

You can read more about C. echinus here. You can purchase C. echinus from High Country Gardens.

Ariocarpus fissuratus, photo by Craig Howe

Parts of Texas are home to Ariocarpus fissuratus, a plant wonderfully adapted to harsh conditions. Its gray-green (or brownish) color help it hide among rocks where it grows (typically in calcareous soils). Much of the plant is, in fact, underground as a subterranean storage organ–a factor that also helps Ariocarpus to hide.

Ariocarpus has been placed in various genera over the years, including:  Mammillaria, Anhalonium, and Roseocactus.  You can read more about A. fissuratus here and here.

Carnegiea gigantea

There is only one member of the genus Carnegiea, C. gigantea (the saguaro cactus). It is widely recognized around the world as a symbol of the American West, though it also occurs in Mexico. In the United States the plant is essentially found only in Arizona even though it calls to mind the whole West.

C. gigantea can reach 50 foot-tall, but individuals are often shorter than that. The ribs of the cactus provide an accordion-like architectural feature to the plant and also allow it to expand in size. The plant may expand when it absorbs water after a rain.  The trumpet-shaped flowers are white on the inside, but the floral tube is green on the exterior. The flowers are pollinated by bats. The edible fruit has been used to make wine and jams.

C. gigantea may be distantly related to Neobuxbaumia and Pachycereus; the three genera produce similar alkaloids.

You can read more about C. gigantea here, and here. You can purchase seeds or small plants of C. gigantean from Mesa Garden Nursery.

Aztekium hintonii

There are just two species of Aztekium, A. hintonii and A. ritteri. They are small, globular plants with pink or white-pink flowers. The two species grow on gypsum cliffs in Mexico and are quite limited in natural occurrence. Each species is known from its own (single) location in the state of Nuevo Leon.

Boedeker reported A. ritteri in 1928 and it was over 62 years later that A. hintonii was reported. Both plants are fairly small, and with limited occurrence. It is understandable that they were not discovered early in cactus discoveries.

You can read more about Aztekum here and here.

Copiapoa bridgesii, photo by Daiv Freeman at CactiGuide, click photo for original CactiGuide Web page

Copiapoa comprises a genus of 2 dozen (or perhaps 30) species of cacti from central and northern coastal Chile. Presumably, in such places, their water is from coastal fog or winter rains (or both).

The genus was originally described as “Echinocactus,” but Copiapoa was proposed in the 1920s. Copiapoa generally have yellow flowers and may be spiny, or not spiny. They have much variation within the genus.

The Copiapoa Handbook describes the genus in detail, providing maps and cultural information. I understand the book is sold out, but you might be able to find copies in bookstores or on Ebay. You can learn more about Copiapoa here, and here.

Tortoise, Texas (Gopherus species)

Cacti grow in many places, but often the surrounding country is beautiful and desolate. If you follow the link here, you can see some great images from the American Southwest. All the images feature cacti, or were taken near cacti.

Guilded Flicker at nest in saguaro cactus

The Guilded Flicker is found in various habitats, but it is a famous woodpecker in the Sonoran Desert where it excavates nests in saguaro cacti. This flicker is different from the Red-shafted Flicker, the Northern Flicker, and the Yellow-shafted Flicker. The Guilded Flicker eats ants, berries, and saguaro fruit.

You can read more about the Guilded Flicker here, and here. You can learn more about the saguaro catus here.

Herbertia lahue, Columbus-LaGrange, Texas

I don’t usually think of the pretty Herbertia lahue as a desert flower, but I have found it growing with Escobaria missouriensis, Opuntia lindheimeri, O. macrorhiza, and Cylindropuntia leptocaulis. The cacti were mostly at the east edges of their ranges, and H. lahue was at the western end of its range. H. lahue was growing between Columbus and LaGrange, TX.

H. lahue has beautiful 1-day flowers, but the plant flowers for a month or more making it worthwhile to grow. It can dust pastures with pale blue in the Spring because the plants are so numberous in and around LaGrange.

H. lahue is really not a desert flower because it grows across southern Louisiana and along much of the Texas Gulf coast. But the area (at least in Texas) is subject to extreme drought sometimes–so H. lahue survives as a bulb. In contrast, cacti survive the drought of coastal Texas with their own cactus adaptations (lack of leaves, waxy cuticle, etc.).

Agave lechuguilla, click on photo to see original image

The agaves in the photograph were growing in southern New Mexico, not far from Carlsbad Caverns. They grew with Opuntia valida, O. engelmannii, Echinocereus stramineus, and E. coccineus. They were numerous and happy in the June heat and dryness of a limestone rock shelf.

A. lechuguilla occurs from Texas into New Mexico and Mexico. Probably the northern forms (and higher altitude forms) are easily hardy to zero F if kept dry in winter (or perhaps frozen under snow). Plants from more southerly areas might only be hardy to 10 F or 15 F.

The plant is handsome but wicked, with leaf tips as sharp as any stilleto. When you reach for a pot of this plant be sure to reach slowly. If you miss the tip spines, the edge spines may get you.

Lobivia species, under lights, from Miles' to Go

I’ve ordered plants off and on from Miles (Miles’ to Go Nursery) in Arizona for over 10 years. The plants always come quickly and always arrive in very good shape. Additionally, most of the plants are of blooming size if they bloom while in a small pot.

Miles must get his plants in and keep them a while because he’ll advertize a plant as 3-inches and it will arrive and be nearly 4-inches across or tall. The plants are not expensive, typically $4.50 to $6 for the things I might order (Gymnocalycium, Lobivia, Rebutia, etc.).

Miles offers some cold-hardy plants but he doesn’t feature them as especially cold hardy. For instance, he sells several types of Gymnocalycium that will surely survive 10 F, but he doesn’t mention the fact. Similarly, he sells a variety of cold-tolerant Coryphantha, Escobaria, Echinocereus, etc. In fact, Miles sells many genera but few or no Opuntia.

Echinocactus polycephalus, Mojave Desert near Las Vegas, NV

Many cacti flower early in the Mojave Desert, but Echinocatus polycephalus blooms late, sometimes as late as the end of July. The blooms are pretty, and yellow, but not large and showy. “Polycephalus” means “many heads,” and, sure enough, E. polycephalus has many short stems that form “heads.”

E. polycephalus is not hard to find in rocky or gravelly areas of the Mojave Desert (2,500 to 4,000 ft), but it is seldom seen in cultivation. Perhaps one reason it is seldom seen is that it is not a fast grower. Another reason it might not be seen is that plants seldom, if ever, transplant successfully from the wild, and despite the damage it may cause some folks still collect cacti in the wild.

E. polcephalus grows from seed easily enough, but it resents overwatering. If you are lucky enough to have this plant it can probably tolerate 10 F, or perhaps a bit more cold (especially if the next day warms up).

You can read more about E. polycephalus here and here.

What do all the following names have in common? Apparently all of them have been used at one time to describe Parodia, or a species of Parodia. That is a lot of names to go around for a genus of about 50 species. Read more about Parodia here.

• Acanthocephala
• Brasilicactus
• Brasiliparodia
• Brasilocactus
• Chrysocactus
• Dactylanthocactus
• Eriocactus
• Eriocephala
• Friesia
• Hickenia
• Jauhisoparodia
• Malacocarpus
• Microspermia
• Neohickenia
• Notocactus
• Sericocactus
• Wigginsia

Parodia herteri, image from Wikipedia

Lophophora

It is confusing to sort out Lophophora names; some authorities suggest there is really only one species, whereas others indicate there are four. Of course, the various putative species have have been named more than once.

The plants are small and slow growing, taking 20 years or more to reach adult size (about a small tangerine) in the wild. L. williamsii is the famous member of the group because it naturally contains mescaline–a mind altering hallucinogen. L. williamsii is well known as “peyote.”

Peyote plants are hunted by people and resold because of their hallucinogenic properties, and several sources report they are in danger of extinction in the wild. However, a simple Internet search suggests that there are multiple seed vendors around the world.

Lophophora might be an easy plant to grow (I’m without first-hand experience) because it comes from south Texas and north Mexico, in an area with sweltering hot summers and way-too-much winter rain (and sometimes summer rain). Cacti from this region, that I have grown, are flexible in their requirements; they are not so cranky as plants from drier (ie, more westerly) areas.

You can learn more about Lophophora here or here.

Sempervivum 'Soft Line'

There seem to be at least 3,000 named types of Sempervivum cultivars, and perhaps 50 wild species. If you include Rosularia and Jovibarba, there are about 70-80 wild species to grow–surely not all of them are available in cultivation(?).

An email friend sent me a winter plant package, a cheer-you-up type of gift. It is a box full of wonderful plants but some of the best are sempervivums. The first plant I pulled out was ‘Soft Line’, and I had to look it  up on the Internet. There a an incredible number of Sempervivum photos on the Internet, and I was lucky to find my plant here (scroll down to ‘Soft Line’).

Sempervivums are great plants for those of us living in cold-winter areas. They survive a lot of cold and ice, and too much water. So, I suppose it must be cold and icy in the mountains where they come from in Europe.

You can learn more about Sempervivum here, and here. I have purchased Sempervivum hybrids and species (with great success) from Squaw Mountain Gardens, but there are other places to order them from.

Monstrose Lophocereus schottii

Monstrose plants are not limited to cacti, but because of their normally limited morphology, monstrose cacti seem more remarkable and beautiful. The precise cause (or causes) of monstrose growth are unknown, but the results are appreciated.

Many monstrose (or cristate) cacti are not as strong as their “normal” counterparts. Thus, they are slower growing and sometimes more tender to drought and cold. However, the Lophocereus pictured here seems robust and happy.

You can learn more about monstrose plants here and here.

Cactus spines

Cactus spines are amazing. They come in so many shapes, colors, and sizes. It is hard to see, especially with all their variety, but cactus spines are modified leaves.

Espostoa lanata, in habitat, photo by Craig Howe

Espostoa lanata is a columnar cactus with “lanate” stems. Lanate is another word for downy or hairy. Mature plants form a cephalium on one side of the stem; thus, they bloom only from the cephalium and only at night. The fuzzy-hairy nature of the stems accounts for the common name of the cactus, “Peru old man.”

The plant in the image was photographed in habitat, in Peru, by Craig Howe. You can buy seeds or small plants of E. lanata from Mesa Garden. You can find more images of E. lanata on this page, and you can read about E. lanata here.