Topics

Cactus pears

Plant in full sun, Choose the driest spot in the garden, it likes very well drained soil. I grow mine close to wall facing south.

Oh, ok. I didn't think they wouls survive outside in the winter. Can they grow in a large pot?

Mine are surviving outside with no problem. I'm in a colder zone than you are. Not too many cactus will survive the cold out here. I have a cactus garden in my front yard. I have about 4 types of cactus growing. 

They are beautiful in spring with the bright orange blossoms. Later in summer when the fruit forms they are more beautiful with the bright purple flowers. 
For people down south and in California Cactus is a weed, but for our area it's very unique. I see people stop by my house just to look at them, they think they're plastic. 

Bass; I'm glad you started this thread. It's great to hear more about these cacti. Now you got me thinking about starting my own cactus garden :) . I might make a raised bed out near the road just for them.

Ben; Thanks for the great tip on the gloves. Looks like I'll have to take a drive up to our local Harbor Freight - about an hour north of me.

71GTO; Apparently there may be several large-fruited prickly pears that are plenty cold hardy enough to survive zone 6 winters. I'm sure they will do fine in large pots. Although they may be happier in-ground. 

Thanks guys, Are they easy to find? I  know I have had the red ones in your picture and I liked them.

GTO; You will likely find some in your area eventually if you keep your eyes peeled for them. If not then I'm sure someone will offer some.

Bass says he has some. Also see the PM I sent you. 

I have sold pads of this variety on ebay a couple years ago, but I'm not doing it this year. It's a lot of work to cut and place in a proper box. If anyone willing to stop by I can give you a few cuttings of different varieties. 

I'll be glad to stuff a flat rate box (any size) just send postage and it's yours to anyone wanting to try them.    I don't think you can kill them.    Simple lay the pad on the ground in the sun and it starts growing roots on the underneath side.


Cathy

I have some of the small wild kind growing in my front yard in zone 5b.
The pads shrivel a bit during winter, but they come back fine once the snow is gone.
I'll be looking around for the edible ones,
the pics sure are beautiful.

sure wish all my house's walls were south facing.

Grant
z5b kitchener Ontario

I love this thread, last year we were thinking about adding a prickley pear or two.  They do grow alot in all areas of Texas.  The pads are good cooked, common mexican dish. Nopales<- maybe spelled wrong. But I want the fruit! Yum! And the blossoms :) so pretty. and used as a fence sounds great.

Just read this, "If you want flowers on your cactus, plant it in a small pot. Most cacti bloom sooner if root bound."  Any truth to it?

Cathy

So you can buy the Andyboy pads or fruit at the market and then plant them out? I've been wanting to get a prickly pear with good fruit, that sounds like a good way if possible...

Based on what happens in my yard, it should work to plant the pad but not the fruit (you might be able to germinate seeds from the fruit, but you'd wait a long time for them to grow big enough to bear any fruit of their own). However, unless you're certain that the pads they're selling are of the same variety as the fruit, then there wouldn't be much point in planting the pads--you'd be better off to find another source where you know you're getting a variety that produces good fruit.


Our native prickly pears (as well as some non-native Opuntias) seem to do best with plenty of neglect. If I pull up a plant and leave it lying on the ground, or even drop just a single pad on the ground, it will almost always root in and start growing during the summer rains. But--if you break off a pad and lovingly plant it without first letting the "break zone" dry out and callous over, it will often rot. And if you plant it, and then immediately water it without letting it callous first, it will almost certainly rot.

Hi Fig lovers...or should I say exotic foodies! I just finished my youtube video. Let me know what you think. Hope its informative for some of you.




Nice video, I really miss eating these orange ones. I've never tried juicing them, but I enjoy eating them chilled in mid summer. 

nice video....I like the autumn olive one as well....will check out the others later...

Thanks LJ


Very informative !(thanks for posting)

Nice Video

Hmmm eating them chilled would be nice...as long as there arn't any stray glockids! Had one in my lip once, thats a bummer.

here are a couple of updated pics from yesterday, some yellow flowers and fruit is gaining size nicely...


    Attached Images

  • Click image for larger version - Name: IMG_3736.JPG, Views: 51, Size: 200562
  • Click image for larger version - Name: IMG_3737.JPG, Views: 51, Size: 238000
  • Click image for larger version - Name: IMG_3738.JPG, Views: 47, Size: 225205

Nice,

Here's a photo I took today of my cactus...

    Attached Images

  • Click image for larger version - Name: 217424_10150210147941322_689381321_8230144_1877237_n.jpg, Views: 59, Size: 79910

Ben. That yellow-fruited prickly pear is looking very nice. Looks like you will have a fair abundance of fruit from it this season.

@Bass. Those flowers on your cactus look alot like the little spring daffodils that just finished blooming in our area. Strange coincidence huh ;) ?

A couple of the prickly pear I have are just starting to put on some new pad growth. No flowers yet though.

I have a sicilan friend that grows prickly pears.  He has red, white and yellow.  He believes and I agree the yellow is the best tasting variety

George

Ken, you are right about those tiny hairs--They are much worse than the large thorns and much more numerous and they stick into you and come off the pad.

One way to get rid of them is to use duct tape and then pull it off in the direction the end of the hair is pointing.  Another way to get rid of them is to put Elmer's Glue on the area, let it dry and pull it off in the same manner as the duct tape (What would we do without duct tape???)  This also works if you get stung by one of those bad caterpillars that leave spines in your skin.

noss

Why not just take a flame to them?  Glochids burn right off.  I use the gas burner on my range with tongs.... and done.

noss; The tape is a great idea & I've actually used it. It gets most of them but if you have one or two that get buried kinda deep you may still have to use tweezer to coax 'em out.

Jason; The open flame idea makes alot of sense to me. I plan to try that with my campstove (or propane torch maybe) next time I have some fruits. No gas range in the house unfortunately. 

Load More Posts... 59 remaining topics of 109 total
Reply Cancel
Subscribe Share Cancel