
Source: Wikimedia Commons
A cactus with flat paddle-shaped stems in series. Hardy species also eaten in Mexico.
Opuntia (prickly pear cactus) is a large genus of cacti native to the Americas, characterized by flattened, paddle-shaped stem segments (cladodes) joined in chains. In Mexico, the tender pads are eaten as a vegetable known as nopales, and the sweet fruit (tuna) is widely consumed fresh or juiced. Mature plants range from 30 to over 200 cm depending on species. In addition to obvious spines, all Opuntia bear minute barbed bristles called glochids that penetrate skin easily and are very difficult to remove; handling with thick gloves is strongly advised. Plants are extremely drought-tolerant and prefer full sun. Watering once or twice monthly is sufficient; overwatering causes root rot. Cold hardiness varies widely—some species survive well below −20°C outdoors. Propagation is easy by removing a pad, allowing it to callus, then inserting it in dry soil.
Origem
North, Central, and South America
Expectativa de vida
Perennial (decades)
Tamanho
30-200cm
Temperatura
-5〜40℃
Umidade
30〜50%
Minimal
Hardy species that prefers direct sun
Very drought tolerant
Produces fruit similar to dragon fruit
Watch for glochids (fine hairlike spines)
Beginner. Esta é uma espécie amigável para iniciantes. Não é necessário equipamento especial ou experiência, e pode ser mantida com sucesso com uma configuração básica de cuidados.
A temperatura ideal para Prickly Pear é -5〜40℃. A umidade recomendada é 30〜50%. Evite mudanças bruscas de temperatura e mantenha um ambiente estável.
A expectativa de vida média de Prickly Pear é Perennial (decades). Com cuidados e nutrição adequados, podem viver uma vida longa e saudável.
Prickly Pear normalmente atinge 30-200cm quando adulto. O tamanho pode variar dependendo das condições de cuidado e genética individual.
Prickly Pear se alimenta de: Minimal. Busque uma dieta equilibrada com frequência de alimentação adequada.
O preço de Prickly Pear varia significativamente dependendo do morfo, tamanho e linhagem. Consulte nossa página de preços de mercado para informações atualizadas.
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