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Opuntia Humifusa [ op - UN - teeing ground - a , hum - ih - FEW - suh ] is a succulent , ball - forming shrub from the crime syndicate Cactaceae .
Native to many parting of easterly North America , the plant also has some other scientific names .
These include :
However , it is generally known with the following common name :
It is the most widespread of all cacti species in the United States .
Opuntia Humifusa Care
Size & Growth
This clod - forming cactus species is a low - growing perennial , typically growing up to 6 ” – 12 ” in tall and 12 ” – 18 ” inches wide .
Like most other species of its genus , Opuntiafeatures round - to - oval , flatten , and overweight root or pad .
The digs are dark-green with a violet tinge and are covered with tiny ruby - chocolate-brown pointed bristles , called glochidium , and hair - comparable rachis .
Flowering and Fragrance
Opuntia compressa produces hit bright yellow flower in previous spring to early summer – from May to July – at the end of the green stamp pad .
The flower are bombastic and waxy and have bushy clumps of yellow stamen in the center .
They sometimes also boast a red-faced center .
Flowering is followed by the production of shiny flushed fruit , which remain on the industrial plant until the next spring .
Light & Temperature
Opuntia thrives in full Sunday , but can tolerate fond shadowiness and even harsh winters .
Opuntia plants hold in unique antifreeze chemical substance in their cell , which makes it frost unfearing to USDA hardiness zones 4b to 10b .
Watering and Feeding
Just like all other species of the cactus family unit , humifusa genus Opuntia requires a low amount of H2O and becomes highly drought kind , once established .
Make certain to not overwater as the opuntia because it prefers dry soil .
Let the dirt dry out out between tearing in wintertime because if the roots will rot if they remain wet in wintertime .
Opuntia prickly pear cactus does not need fertilizer when it is institute outdoors .
However , it may take to be feed in with a well - balanced plant food when arise indoors .
If the semblance of your indoor plant life is turning from bright green to pale green and it does n’t flower , it means your Opuntia needs fertilizer .
Soil & Transplanting
While the industrial plant prefers sandy or gravelly soil , it can easily stick out almost any type of soil as long as it is well - draining .
When repot , let the soil get completely dry before taking out the plant .
Throw forth the old soil and address the cuts with a fungicide before planting it in the fresh pot .
Do not irrigate plants for a few days after repot to avoid the risk of root bunk .
Grooming and Maintenance
Humifusa is an easy - to - produce and very abject maintenance plant .
More Opuntia of Interest
How To Propagate Opuntia Compressa
Opuntia prickly pear is circulate from both germ and cuttings .
However , starting novel plants from cut or pads is faster and promiscuous than growing from ejaculate .
For pull in seeds , opt the fledged fruits which are reddish - browned in color .
Let the source air dry for a few hour .
While the semen could be stored , it is best to sow them in the earth , immediately after compendium .
The seminal fluid take a long time to sprout – in most case , seedling do not emerge until the next spring .
For propagate through cuttings , all you have to do is to break off a pad from the stick , have it dry ( until its injury heal ) , and simply stick in the prepared ground and it will form roots quite quickly .
check that the land is juiceless and just like with transplanting , do not water the new cuttings until they set out to grow ; water before it can cause base rot .
Eastern Opuntia Pest or Diseases
The brilliant icteric flowers of devil ’s tongue attract many pollinator species .
However , it generally remain disease - free and is also deer insubordinate .
Uses For Humifusa Optunia
The humifusa is mainly grown for ornamental purposes as it bring color and texture to your garden .
It is a popular choice for desert garden , Mediterranean gardens , rock garden , xeriscape gardens , and sandy slopes .
The fruits of the easterly briery pear plant are eatable and are often used to make mess and candies .
