Advice on growing opuntia cactus

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jessicap

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
478
Location (City and/or State)
Wisconsin
emysemys said:
That looks like Opuntia Santa Margarita. It has some pretty nasty spines, but it is edible. Its a lower growing shrub-type plant than the one that Sharkstar is growing. Also, it has a blue/grey color to the pad rather than green. Its a very pretty opuntia. I have one in my collecition.
[/quote

as for the spines, you just burn them off? How do torts eat these in the wild? They just sound VERY unfriendly :(
 

RV's mom

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
1,292
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix, arizona
the type I have has little almost microscopic spines. hair-like, and a bugger if you happen to get one stuck. no worries, if you can see it, you can grab it with tweezers. As for those with bigger spines, I think you have to peel them off? I don't know if the blow torch will do any good for thicker spines.
 

russianhenry

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
181
Location (City and/or State)
Texas
How do you feed them? I have some prickly pear pads and I took the spines off but do I just cut it up and give it to her? Or give it to her whole?
 

RV's mom

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
1,292
Location (City and/or State)
Phoenix, arizona
the older the pad, the more inner fiber it will have. tough for little ones to handle, and RV sometimes has issues. The older pads I cut cross-wise, so the fibers are cut. The new pads are very tender. the only problem is that they are flat; RV will work and work and work on a pad that is flat, finally either finishing the pad or leaving it, top side scraped and bottom untouched. I will use tongs to feed RV a pad if needed.

Hope this helps.
teri
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top