Small prickly pear prickly pear - one of the most interesting cacti that can be grown in a pot. He pleases the eye with his unusual appearance. Spiky flat leaves decorated with yellow flowers around the edges. Consider how to grow a plant at home.
Description
Opuntia microdasys, or small prickly prickly pear, is an unusual, very interesting plant. Its distinguishing feature is that it looks like a small bush consisting of several flat stems. The plant tends to create upper increments, so the stems look like a collection of numerous elements. It grows to about 40-60 cm in height. The individual elements of the stem reach a length of 6-15 cm and a width of 4-12 cm. This species does not have spines, but there are numerous white or yellow (2-3 mm long) so-called glochids collected in dense groups. Glochids are a special form of spikes - very fragile hairy spines. They end with a sharp hook, which quickly and painfully sticks to the skin, causing erythema and redness. A small spike is difficult to remove.
The prickly pear prickly pear (in the photo) blooms in large, very beautiful, yellow flowers that appear on top of its stems. Sometimes they tend to be much larger than a particular stem element.
The fruits of the plant are edible and are used in the food industry. Their sweet, slightly sour characteristic taste is a great addition to desserts, they can be added to salads or just like that, after peeling. However, it is difficult to get fruit at home. Small and red fruits appear on top of the tallest stalk elements.
Chemical composition and toxicity
The plant is a source of vitamins A, C, E, B 1, B 6, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and fiber. Includes sugar (glucose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, rhamnose), organic acids (tartaric acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid), flavonoids (quercetin, kempferol), lactones, terpenes (e.g. lupenone), alkaloids (mesculin, gordenin, tyramine) and betalans (betacanthin, betazhin). Flowers and stems of the plant are used for the manufacture of therapeutic ointments and cosmetics. Decoctions of them help in the treatment of diseases of the liver and circulatory system.
Drugs with prickly pear are well tolerated, not toxic. The only adverse symptoms that were noted after their consumption were nausea, an increase in the volume and frequency of stools, mild diarrhea, and headache.
Kinds
The cactus family is more than 2000 plant species. In this great family there is also prickly pear, numbering about 150 species. The vast majority of these plants come from North and South America, some species are grown due to delicious fruits.
Many of them are gigantic in size. Popular varieties suitable for indoor cultivation, in addition to small-prickly prickly prickly pear, are:
- Opuntia Berger is a tall succulent with a bright green stem. The ovoid leaves reach a length of up to 25 cm. Rare areoles are provided with yellow long spines. Blooms profusely in orange-yellow bells.
- Prickly pear prickly pear - a creeping cactus, consisting of small light green lobes up to 4 cm long. Thin, short needles densely cover the surface of the plant. Flowers are wide-open orange bells.
- Prickly pear prickly pear is a low erect succulent with highly branched stems. It is characterized by a rounded, rather than flattened, shape of the lobes. The length of each lobe is only 2-3 cm. The plant is covered with very short whitish spines. Flowers are a light yellow hue.
Microdasys Opuntia - growing requirements
The small prickly prickly pear prickly pear needs the same conditions as most cacti. First of all, the plant does not like shade. It should be in a clear place where it will receive the largest dose of sunlight. During the season, the ideal temperature for it is 21-35 degrees Celsius.
Small prickly prickly pear prickly pear should be provided with a suitable substrate. It can grow in standard soil for potted flowers, but it will still feel much better in specialized soil for cacti. A small layer of drainage should be laid out at the bottom of the pots.
Small prickly prickly pear - home care
The plant does not need special care. The only thing you need to remember in caring for it is watering. Prickly pears are tolerant to temporary dryness of the substrate. She does not like excess moisture, because then she can begin to rot. It is best to water the flower when the substrate in the pot is already dry. Excess water remaining in the pot holder should be removed. In winter, watering is limited to the necessary minimum.
During the growing season, you can feed the plant every 2 weeks with fertilizer for cacti in a dose less than half that recommended on the package. Thanks to this, the plant will develop better. Fertilizer can stimulate faster flowering of a plant. A month before the planned period of rest, it is necessary to stop feeding.
Transfer
A plant is replanted only when its roots fill the entire pot. The procedure is carried out in late spring. Succulents are transplanted into the pot more than the previous one. Land for growing plants should be both for cacti, that is, poor and airy - based on peat and sand. Proper drainage and openings at the bottom of the container to drain excess water are very important. When transplanting to the bottom of the container, you can arrange broken pieces of a ceramic pot, stones or coarse gravel.
When transplanting plants, be careful with spikes that can cause inflammation of the epidermis. All work should be carried out with gloves or should cover the plant with hard paper.
Wintering Rules
In the case of cactus of the opuntia fine-haired, it is important to observe the temperature regime. If you do not provide the necessary conditions for the plant, it is likely to die next year. Gradually, the flower is prepared for the winter period - for this, they slowly lower the temperature below 18 degrees Celsius. It is not difficult - the plant can stand in a cool bedroom or in an unheated corridor.
During wintering, prickly pears should not be fertilized. It should not be watered too often, on the contrary - at this time you should further limit watering. In spring, it is necessary to gradually increase the temperature in the room, and around March, move the flower to a permanent place. If the plant successfully survived the winter period, you will see its intensive growth and further flowering.
Small prickly prickly pear - reproduction
The best way to reproduce a plant is to cut it into separate parts that take root very quickly. The element intended for propagation is separated from the plant, the place of the slice is cleaned of milky juice and processed with powdered activated carbon and dried in air for 3-4 days. Then the handle is placed (without deepening much) in a permeable and constantly moist substrate. Subsequently, the seedlings are kept in a bright place at a temperature of +20 ° C under the film. 2-3 weeks after they start the roots, they can be transplanted into pots.
Now you know what kind of prickly pear prickly pear care is needed at home.