Opuntia figs - description and care

Among the many cacti that are grown at home, fig prickly pear can be called the most popular. The birthplace of the plant is South America, but more recently it has taken root on the Crimean coast and has been growing there ever since.

What does prickly pear prickly pear look like, to which family it belongs

Indian prickly pear is an exotic plant and belongs to the Cactus family. Often a culture is grown as an edible plant and its fruits are eaten. The cactus itself is a dense prickly stems that bloom beautifully. After flowering, red fruits are formed on thorns, the flesh of which is sweet and very juicy.

Fruiting of Indian prickly pear

Prickly pear can be in the form of a bush with upright or creeping shoots. Sometimes the plant is found even in the form of a tree. Along the perimeter of the cactus are buds with thorns. Fleshy and dense foliage quickly crumbles.

Fig fruit Opuntia fig

Common varieties

Prickly pear has many varieties and species, but the most popular are:

• Berger - a plant exceeds a meter in height, its stems are angular, bright green in color. Throughout the area of ​​the stems are yellow thorns.
• Gosselin - characterized by large yellow inflorescences. Leaves have several shades: from green to blue with a silver coating.
• Small-haired - this cactus can be found in many houses, it differs in many soft yellow needles around the perimeter of the plant.

Healing properties

Prickly pear has a number of beneficial properties for the human body:

• relieves inflammation;
• lowers platelet activity;
• helps in the fight against overweight, is used for weight loss;
• plant seed extract helps reduce skin aging.

Briefly about the history of the appearance

This cactus is actively used by people for many years. At present, prickly pear is a feed for animals, and dye is also made from it. In the 20th century, the cactus came to Australia, where it quickly spread throughout the continent. Cows especially liked the plant, but they began to die from the cactus bristles that got into their intestines. For this reason, farmers disliked the cactus and tried to defeat it using chemical means.

Features of home care

For the development and flowering of the plant, it is necessary to create optimal conditions.

Temperature

In the summer, the temperature for the cactus is not so important, it can adapt well. In winter, the thermometer mark should not rise above 6 degrees Celsius, otherwise the prickly pear will stretch out and become ugly.

Lighting

Prickly pear prickles love a lot of light, but direct sunlight should not fall on the plant. For active growth, a cactus needs light all year long.

Tight fit prickly pear figs

Watering

Water the plant carefully. If there is an excess of moisture in the soil, the root system will begin to rot. Watering is carried out as necessary - when the top layer of soil is already dry, you can begin to moisturize. Water must be defended, and it is better that it is soft and slightly acidified. For these purposes, use lemon juice.

Priming

The acidity of the soil should not exceed 6.5 pH, it must be well permeable and loose. A mixture of humus, turf land and sand is perfect. Do not forget about drainage, as expanded clay, pebbles or broken bricks are used. Prickly pear prickly grows well in a ready-made purchased soil mixture for cacti and succulents.

Top dressing

You can feed the cactus from spring to autumn, doing this according to the instructions. It will be enough 1 introduction of special compounds for succulents per month. In winter, top dressing is strictly prohibited.

Features of winter care, rest period

If the cactus was planted in open ground, then for the winter period it must be covered with straw or pine needles. During the dormant period, the plant is slightly deformed, but you should not worry. In the spring it will again become quite attractive. In winter, they do not feed and do not water.

Flowering edible cactus

When and how it blooms

Opuntia blooms in early spring, and ends this period in early autumn. To achieve cactus flowering at home is extremely difficult, or rather, impossible. The description of the plant indicates that it blooms in different colors: from small to large. The appearance of gorgeous flowers can be expected if in the summer there is an opportunity to take out a pot of cactus to the garden or courtyard. After flowering, juicy sweet fruits are formed on the plant, to the taste somewhat reminiscent of figs.

How fig prickly pear propagates

There are only two methods of reproduction of prickly pear, and they are most often used vegetative.

Seed germination

The seed propagation method is perhaps the most laborious. Before sowing, prickly pear seeds should be rubbed with sandpaper or a nail file. After that, the material is filled with water for several hours. The soil for planting should consist of perlite, universal soil and charcoal. Seeds are planted in the soil, squeezing a little into it. Plantings should be moistened with a weak solution of manganese and covered with glass or film. In the morning and evening, the containers should be aired. It is important that the soil is not dry and very wet.

Rooting cuttings

A vegetative method of propagating cacti is more acceptable. The cutlery can be removed at any time, but it is best to plant it in spring or summer, when the maximum development of the plant occurs. The segment is cut off and left for several days to dry. After this, the cuttings are deepened by a third in a mixture of finished land for cacti and sand. Planting needs to be watered, but rooting can occur in a few weeks or even months.

There is another way of rooting. Spines are removed on one side of the segment, and this side is deepened into the ground. Next, water the soil around the cuttings. Roots will form throughout its area. When the beginning of cactus growth is noticeable, you can reduce watering and allow the soil to dry for several days.

Transfer

Prickly pear has very delicate roots, so it is better not to carry out the transplant once again. Do this only if the cactus is already small in its pot. Cultivate the culture in clay or terracotta pots. Such material will not allow moisture to stagnate in the container, and the roots will not suffer.

Possible problems in growing and disease

Any problems that arise during the period of growing prickly pear in one way or another are associated with improper care of it. The main problems and their solutions:

• If the shoots shriveled and became sluggish, then the plant is clearly not enough moisture, it is worth revising the regime of its irrigation.
• The formation of dry light spots on the segment indicates high humidity or sudden temperature changes.
• The development of root rot occurs due to excess moisture and nitrogen in the soil. In this case, on the shoots you can see the formation of bright spots, which will soon darken.
• If light small spots are visible on the segments, this indicates the development of white fungal mold. The disease occurs due to the content of the plant in high humidity, and treatment must be carried out with fungicides.

Plantation of prickly pear, first sprouts

Pests

Often, pests attack the prickly pear. If the root nematode does this, then the plant may soon die. The affected areas of the cactus must be removed, the roots dipped in boiling water for several minutes and spray the plant with a solution of charcoal. After that, the cactus can be planted in a new sterile soil.

Signs and superstitions

It is believed that any cactus is able to absorb harmful electromagnetic waves that come from electrical appliances. Prickly pear protects the house and all its inhabitants from negativity. There is a version that the cactus survives from the home of all men, so in the old days such a plant was not grown in a house with young girls.

Wild growth of prickly pear

Few novice growers know what kind of plant this is - fig prickly pear. With proper care, the cactus will delight with its decorativeness for many years.

Watch the video: Growing Opuntia ficus-indica Cactus from Seed - The Prickly Pear Cactus (May 2024).