Opuntia Blog

Dracaena cinnabara tree, image from Wikipedia, click on the image to see the original (large) image at Wikipedia

Dracaena cinnabari is not a cactus, but it is an amazing plant. D. cinnabari is endemic to Socotra Island in Yemen. Its common name, dragon blood tree, derives from the reddish sap obtained from the tree that is used as a dye or a medicine. Wikipedia reports that the red resin was used in dying wool, gluing pottery, as a breath freshener and as a lipstick. Purportedly, the red sap has been employed in magic rituals.

Some sources suggest that D. cinnabari was widely distributed over Socotra Island in the past, but while it is still widespread, it is in scattered populations. It is not clear why overall numbers of the tree have declined because Socotra Island is not yet subject to typical ecological pressures (eg, urbanization, ranching). The trees typicall grow “areas affected by the mists, low cloud and, in particular, the constant drizzle of the monsoon.” Perhaps such areas are not as common as in the past? One source reports that there is circumstantial evidence of drying in the region over the past few hundred years.

You can find out more about D. cinabari at the Arkive. 

Spiderwort with Opuntia polyacantha

Think of Nebraska when you think of cactus country. Opuntia fragilis is found in Nebraska, 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 Nebraska. For more images of Cacatus Country in Nebraska, click here. The images were taken by Daiv Freeman at CactiGuide.com.

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.

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; I 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.

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 americana

Agave americana is not particularly cold hardy, but if you are lucky enough to live in an area where it grows you can appreciate its beauty. Most forms of the plant seem to be reliably hardy to 10 F or 15 F, but Plant Delights Nursery sells one form (ssp. protoamericana ‘Blue Steel’) that is reported to be hardy to below 10 F.

If you live in cold areas you can always grow A. americana as a pot plant; it takes to large containers and will sit quietly for months if you have a dry and cool place to overwinter it (as in a garage). The wonderful thing about A. americana is that it is seemingly impervious to too much water and rain, so it is sometimes seen in Southeast gardens.

Colors vary in A. americana, but most forms are blue-gray or blue-green. The big leaves and unusual color make this a handsome accent plant.

Delosperma seedlings, various types, seedlings germinated 4-6 days earlier and are in 3-inch pots

I ordered Delosperma seeds from HardyPlants.com and from Mesa Garden. Both sets of seeds arrived quickly. The seeds from HardyPlants.com were more expensive but there were 50 or more per packet, whereas the Mesa Garden packets held 20- 30 seeds. However, Mesa Garden offered a broader selection of cold-hardy Delosperma seeds. Not many places sell Delosperma by mail, much less seeds.

The seeds were tiny, very tiny. It was difficult to count them because they were so small. I sprinkled the seeds over a mix that I use for many cacti and succulents: one-third top soil, one-third small perlite, one-third coarse sand (builders’ sand). I watered the seeds from below and set them under fluorescent lights (about 8-10 inches from the bulbs). I kept the seeds at room temperature.

I thought I saw tiny seedlings by Day 5, and on Day 6 I counted multiple seedlings. The seeds pots have been under lights for about 11 days now and the Delosperma seedlings are still at the cotyledon stage. But, they are growing a bit each day and seem happy–I’ve started to remove the saran wrap cover and expose the seedlings to 2-3 hours a day of not-so-humid atmosphere.

You can read more about Delosperma here, here, and here.

Manfreda leaves with purple-brown spots, probably M. maculosa

Manfreda virginica grows well in a rock garden, or in a regular garden if the soil drains well. The leaves are agave-like but softer and floppier. The plant is typically small, perhaps 8-15 inches across, but the bloom stalks may reach 2-3 ft. The flowers are green or yellow-green and attract humming birds (and maybe moths at night). The leaves of M. virginica are usually green and decidous, but may occassionally have purple-brown spots. Other species of Manfreda may have heavily spotted leaves.

M. virginica grows from the greater Houston area of Texas north to Missouri and over the southeastern states to Virginia. Texas has several other Manfreda species that are not as hardy as M. virginica, which can survive in USDA climate zone 6. Perhaps those isolates from the northern end of the species range (eg, Missouri) might be hardy into zone 5.

Manfreda species are easily grown from seed if the small plants have regular water. You can purchase seed from Reid Lewis Nursery or Easy Wildflowers. You can learn more about Manfreda here, and here.

Delosperma ‘Mesa Verde’ has two names; it is also known as Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’. Apparently, ‘Kelaidis’ came up as a chance seedling in the Denver Botanic Garden, perhaps as a cross between D. cooperi and D. nubigenum. The seedling was popularized by Dr. Panayoti Kelaidis. Somehow it got two names; the ‘Kelaidis’ name is popular because Dr. Kelaidis did much work to popularize Delosperma plants in cold areas along with his overall rock garden work.

‘Kelaidis’ forms a green mat of succulent grown 2-5 inches tall, and has salmon pink flowers that have a metalic sheen. ‘Kelaidis’ is reported to be hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. As a bloomer it seems to be a great plant, various sources suggest that it blooms off and on from late spring till fall. Though it does fine in many USA locations, Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’ is originally from Africa.

For more information click here, and here. Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’ is offered for sale by various vendors, including the Wyoming Plant Company.

Delosperma 'kelaidis' (Mesa Verde), click image to find vendor Web page

Yucca pallida is found in limited areas of north-central Texas. It is a pretty plant with blue-green leaves that have a waxy look. Y. pallida does not grow tall; instead it is a short yucca that makes a blue-gray 2-foot-tall, round or spherical accent in a garden (or, it will grow nicely in a container).

The leaves of Y. pallida twist a bit and arch gracefully, making the whole plant interesting upon inspection. It is a carefree plant that enjoys good drainage. It is probably hardy to about -10 F.

Y. pallida is not often grown–I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s not used more often because folks are unfamilar with it, pretty though it is. Though not a super fast grower, it grows well enough that 3- or 4-year old plants make a “statement.” You can purchase Y. pallida seeds from Reid Lewis Seeds.  When I lived In Texas I did find it growing wild, and sometimes it was offered for sale at various nurseries.

Yucca pallida

They are not exactly a cactus seed source, though they do offer a surprising number of Echinocereus seeds and a Pediocactus or two. I would call Alplains Nursery a rock garden seed source, and a fantastic one at that. Yet, their offerings are not limited to rock garden plants; they offer the seeds of hundreds of plants for colder climates.

The Web site provides lots of information about sowing seeds including pretreatments and two or three different germination methods.

The prices are reasonable, about $3.00 for a packet of seeds (sometimes 70 or more seeds).

Plants of Echinocereus (photo from Alplains) are cold hardy to USDA climate zone 6 at least, and some from high altitudes or central/northern New Mexico may be hardy to zone 5 (or colder).

Delosperma nubigenum

I suspect there are more types, but I’ve come up with a list of 20 species and selections of Delosperma that are very hardy (to USDA climate zone 4).

Plant                                                    USDA Climate Zone

• Delosperma aberdeenense                               6
• Delosperma ashtonii                                        6
• Delosperma basuticum                                    5
• Delosperma brunnthaleri                                 6
• Delosperma congestum                                   4b/5
• Delosperma cooperi                                        5
• Delosperma deleeuwiae                                  5
• Delosperma dyeri                                            5
• Delosperma floribundum                                6
• Delosperma herbeum                                      6
• Delosperma nubigenum                                  4
• Delosperma sphalmantiodes                           5
• Delosperma sutherlandii                                 6
• Delosperma ‘Osberg’,                                     6                     
• Delosperma ‘Kelaidis’                                     6
• Delosperma ‘Beaufort West’                           6b
• Delosperma ‘Gold Nugget’                             5
• Delosperma ‘John Proffit’                               4/5
• Delosperma ‘Lavender Ice’                             4/5

Graptopetalum is a common companion plant for cacti in areas where the temperature is mild (USDA zone 9a and warmer). G. paraguayense is typically hardy in frosts that don’t drop below 18-22 F, and which warm up quickly the next morning.

The plants are easy to grow–tolerating extreme drought, but also regular water. They are attractive with their blue-gray or purple-gray leaves arranged in rosettes on stems. The leaves fall off easily, but just as easily will root to form a new plant.

Graptopetalum paraguayense, image from Wikimedia

Sclerocactus wrightiae is an endangered species, listed in 1979 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It grows in a few counties in Utah, and nowhere else. Another name for the cactus is “fish hook” cactus, a name it richly deserves.  

 The plant is typically small, less than six  inches tall, and has white, yellow, or pink flowers. The species may exhibit variation from location to location (eg, flower color), perhaps due to introgression with other sclerocacti.

S. wrightiae  can be found in pinon juniper woodlands at 4,200 ft. to nearly 6,000 ft, often in association with grasses and Opuntia polyacantha. Typically, the plants are growing in very exposed (windy, sunny) locations and in alkaline soils.

Sclerocactus wrightiae, image from State of Utah Natural Resources

North of Las Lajas, Nequen, Argentina

The southern part of Argentina is home to varieity of cacti, including opuntiads. Pterocactus, Austrocylindropuntia, and Maihueniopsis are all former members of the genus Opuntia. One nice Web site that shows plants and habitat photos is “Cacti from Neuquén, Argentina.”

The site discusses the plants that occur in the area, as well as the habitats that they are found in. The photos are not large but they are beautiful.

Wikipedia reports that:

Hecktia species or hybrid, image from Wikipedia

“Hechtia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named for Julius Gottfried Conrad Hecht, German counselor to the King of Prussia. The plants of this genus are [generally]  dioecious.”

The plants related to pineapple plants, which are also members of the Bromeliaceae. The plants are not particularly cold hardy, but H. texensis typically survived overnight frosts of 22 F in my Houston-area garden and never seemed to suffer. H. texensis is a species of north Mexico and west/south Texas (Big Bend region).

The plants appreciate excellent drainage and can be grown with cacti, but in a flower pot they will accept water for a longer period than many strictly desert cacti, even enduring the year-round rains of eastern Texas. Varieties with serrated leaves can be vicious but beautiful.

Not every succulent is a cactus; and some noncactus succulents are superb garden plants. One of these great plants is Sempervivum (hen and chicks). I was unable to grow these plants along the Gulf Coast of Texas because they always failed in summer, the victim of one sort of fungal infection or another. However, they are great plants for the mid-Atlantic states.

Sempervivum 'Centennial', image from Wikipedia

 There must be hundreds of different cultivars or Sempervivum, perhaps thousands; it seems like no one really knows because new plants are being introduced all the time. One nursery that sells many types is Squaw Mountain Gardens, in Oregon.

 One of the best things about Sempervivum is that the plants can have fantastic winter colors: multiple greens, pinks, various reds, green-blues, blues, purples, near-blacks, and grays. Then, of course, they can mix the colors and a single cultivar might have shades of pink, red, and blue in winter. Unfortunately, I haven’t found any that keep their best color in the warmer months.

 Sempervivums have fantastic shapes, a spiral of leaves surrounding a central growing point. The various rosettes are surrounded by other rosettes that are larger, or smaller, depending upon relative age. Often, when a rosette blooms (they are not known for spectacular flowers), it will die, but the empty area is often quickly filled in by ever expanding neighbor rosettes.  Aracnoidium types (spider web types) have a filament of gray fuzz over the leaves, giving them a nice look. 

Sempervivum arachnoideum, image from Wikipedia