The prickly pear is a species of plant that belongs to the cactus family. Within this family it belongs to the genus Opuntia. In everyday language, this plant is also referred to as prickly pear. The prickly pear reaches heights of between 1 m and 6 m, adopting a shrubby or tree-like form. There is usually a trunk about 35 cm high. The shoots are shaped quite differently. They are either long and narrow, up to 60 cm long, or they grow ovate to 25 cm wide.
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Sunny location for successful care
The prickly pear needs a lot of sunshine. Therefore, a sunny location is ideal for lush growth and a bountiful harvest. The plant can therefore easily spend the summer on the terrace, balcony or another sunny spot in the garden. The hobby gardener should heed the following care instructions:
- the ideal soil is poor and enriched with stones and sand;
- Prickly Pear prefers dry air;
- do not leave outdoors when it rains;
- in the greenhouse the plant feels comfortable;
- the prickly pear also thrives on the window sill in the room;
- watering regularly, but at long intervals;
- supply cactus fertilizer every 14 days during the growing season;
- Opuntia prefer potash fertilizers;
- the fruits are harvested in autumn when they are soft to the touch;
- do not give water during hibernation at a maximum of 6° Celsius;
- Water vigorously once in spring when flowers begin to form.
It is advisable to wear suitable gloves when harvesting the fruit, as some species of Opuntia have quite sharp thorns. The fruits are peeled before consumption.
Prickly pear seed cultivation
Plants can easily be grown from the seeds of the prickly pear. For this purpose, a fruit is opened and the seeds are cleaned from the pulp with warm water. Now the seeds have to dry for the next few days before they are placed in water to pre-swell. The hobby gardener then picks up a small flowerpot filled with peat. The seeds are scattered on this substrate, but not covered with it. The peat pot spends the following weeks in a shady place at a temperature between 20° and 25° Celsius. If you don’t forget to water regularly, you can enjoy the first procots after this time. Now the time has come to place the growing pot in a sunny spot where the cactus leaves can fully develop.
Alternatively, it is possible to propagate the prickly pear vegetatively. This is done by cutting off a shoot from the plant and planting it in cactus soil. In this case, new roots form within a few days.
Successful care also depends on the substrate
As with all desert cacti, a substrate that is specially tailored to the needs of the plant is required for successful care. Ideally, the potting soil consists of:
- Sand
- Perlit
- Compost
- peat
Perlite is a volcanic rock that is primarily used in construction. In horticulture, it is used as an additive for potting soil to loosen it and thus improve air permeability. The ideal substrate mix for cacti is one part sand or perlite, two parts compost and some peat. It is important to ensure that the sand is not calcareous. This substrate can also be used without hesitation if it is necessary to repot the prickly pear cactus. When the plant’s roots completely fill the pot, it’s time to transplant into a larger pot. Spring is the best time for this care measure. It is important to ensure that the planter has a drainage hole so that no waterlogging can form.
Care for diseases and pests
All species of Opuntia, including the prickly pear, are susceptible to infestation with mealybugs , also known as mealybugs. The lice suck the plant sap and at the same time release a poison into the prickly pear cactus. The result is that the plant loses more and more vitality, turns yellow and shrivels up. The infestation can also be recognized by the cotton ball-like webs that spread over the plant. As soon as mealybugs appear on a prickly pear, this plant must be isolated so that the pests do not spread further.
Plant protection products containing neem oil have proven to be an effective treatment method. This is obtained from the seeds of the neem tree and prevents the reproduction of lice. When treating the plant, it is important to repeat the treatment after 10 to 14 days so that all larvae are really completely destroyed.
Junge Feigenkakteen können durch den Befall mit Trauermücken Schaden erleiden. Diese 1 mm bis 6 mm kleinen Mücken vermehren sich schnell und ernähren sich zunächst vom Substrat. Da dieses bei Keimlingen und jungen Pflanzen schnell zur Neige geht, machen die Mücken sich dann über den kleinen Kaktus und seine kleinen Wurzeln her. Wenn das Substrat mit einer fingerdicken Schicht Sand abgedeckt wird, hindert dies die Mücken an der weiteren Eiablage und sie sterben aus. Einer ausgewachsenen Kaktusfeige kann die Trauermücke nichts anhaben.
Überwintern in kühler Umgebung
So sehr die Kaktusfeige während der Wachstumsphase bis zur Ernte im Herbst die Wärme liebt, so gerne verbringt sie den Winter in einem kühlen Raum bei maximal 6° Celsius. Dieser Kaktus legt eine echte Winterruhe ein, während der er auch so gut wie kein Wasser benötigt. Nur dann, wenn sich das Substrat sehr trocken anfühlt, sollte der Feigenkaktus ein paar Tropfen Wasser erhalten. Frostige Temperaturen bekommen dieser Pflanze ebenfalls nicht, daher ist ein nicht beheiztes Gartenhaus kein geeignetes Winterquartier. Ein Wintergarten, den Sie nicht als Wohnraum nutzen und der daher auch unbeheizt ist, ist schon angebrachter, ebenso, wie ein kühler Kellerraum. So sonnenhungrig die Kaktusfeige im Frühling und Sommer auch ist; im Winter benötigt sie nur wenig davon, denn sie fährt alle Lebensfunktionen deutlich herunter.
Blüten und frische Früchte
Die Kaktusfeige erfreut ihre Züchter zuerst mit gelben und roten Blüten, die einen Durchmesser von 5 bis 10 cm erreichen. Sie entwickeln sich innerhalb von etwa 21 Tagen aus den Knospen. Die Blüten stehen am Ende der Sprossen, wo sich auch die roten, grünen oder orangefarbenen Früchte entwickeln. Aus jeder Sprosse wachsen mehrere neue Sprossen, sodass eine verzweigte Struktur entsteht. Obwohl bei einem Kakteengewächs, wie den Opuntia, scharfe Dornenzu erwarten sind, fehlen diese bei einigen Arten gänzlich. Wenn überhaupt, erscheinen auf den Pflanzen die harmlosen Glochidien, die zwar spitz sind, bei Berührung aber von selbst abfallen.
The inside of the fruit, including the pips, is edible with a sweet and sour aroma. Due to the very low acidity of the prickly pear cactus fruits, they can be kept for a maximum of 3 to 4 weeks. Therefore, they are rarely found on the market. If you want to enjoy the fruits fresh, you should grow them yourself, because the care does not require much effort.
Other species of Opuntia
In addition to the prickly pear, there are more than 190 other cactus species in the Opuntia genus, which are not as well known and widespread. In its native Mexico, the Opuntia is still part of the national flag today.
The numerous other species include, for example, the Opuntia basilaris. This is a very slow growing strain that takes up to 5 years to reach a height of 20cm. It has no thorns, only a few red-brown glochidia. Her flowering time is a maximum of 2 days at room temperature, so she hasn’t garnered a huge following yet.
Other types of Opuntia grow in a columnar manner or develop broadly branched. In the meantime, various species have been bred that do not have any thorns.
Other species, such as Opuntia stricta, live for many years. Their seeds alone can germinate for up to 15 years. As diverse as the cactus species Opuntia is, the care and overwintering of the plants is very similar: During the growth phase in spring and summer, they need a lot of light and sun, warm temperatures and regular watering.
In contrast to other desert cacti, Opuntia even need a lot of water and wilt if they get too dry in summer. During the winter they require little attention; The main thing is that you are in a room that is neither warmer nor colder than 6° Celsius.
Conclusion
It looks back on a millennia-old history and not only provides attractive flowers, but also edible fruits. In Mexico, it has a permanent place in the history of the country and is still represented in the national coat of arms. In standard Mexican cuisine, it can be found as an ingredient in numerous dishes. The prickly pear is also very popular among hobby gardeners in this country because it does not make any great demands in terms of care. She likes to spend the summer outdoors on the patio or balcony. To hibernate, simply put it in a cool room and rest until the first rays of the sun lure new shoots out in spring. If you just give it a little attention, don’t water it too often and spoil it with fertilizer from time to time,
