Full sun vs Shade cloth

[ElieEstephane]

Full sun corrolation to spination: We've talked about it a lot but never showed anything. I though i'd share an interesting experiment i found.
Credits: instagram/wild_about_cactus

[stefan m.]

So , in a nutshell
Shade cloth-smaller plant, smaller spines, darker color
full sun-larger, wider plant, more and longer spines, brighter color.
I know for a fact that the spines provide some shade for the plant, and that in full sun the plant would be more conspicuous but healthier. I do believe this is called phenotype or smt- where organisms' characteristics depended on the environment .

[7george]

Well, it's a matter of your taste from one side: what kind of look of your plants you prefer. Also young cacti need some shading, many species grow under the trees or shrubs, near rocks or other big cacti. And the "full sun" is never full, 360 degrees unobscured by anything sunshine. We have to find the right balance. I don't like plants with yellowish skin and even slightly burned ribs. Spineless cacti will not get some spines just from extra sun hours, right?

[ElieEstephane]

Spineless cacti will not get some spines just from extra sun hours, right?

Not exactly spineless, but the only thing i got from full sun on an Echinopsis subdenudata was very flat and extremely slow growth (along with some yellowing). The short spines were the same length on nursery growth and full sun growth. It did make a little more fuzz though.
Opuntia Ficus indica in full sun (sunrise to sunset): no spines.
Of course this is only anecdotal evidence.

[7george]

The real gain is that you will get natural shape and more flowers at stronger sun for the same or next seasons, healthy plants as well.

[stefan m.]

Well some species - like echinopsis subdenuata dont really rely on spines to anything aside from provide moderate protection against foragers, and even that is a long shot, .
Opuntia ficus indica is often sold as a spineless(not glochid free) cultivar, so if it doesnt have any spines on the originalyou cutting , it likely will not on the younger stems.
I however have noticed this with oxygona (spines were longer in full sun) and species like ferocactus emoryii(longer and darker colour), echinocactus grusonii, stenocereus grieus, parodia magnifica(juts a little bit)....

[ElieEstephane]

Opuntia ficus indica is often sold as a spineless(not glochid free) cultivar,

the cultivar we have here is glochid free and has 1 spine per areole that may or may not drop with age.

[stefan m.]

Take a picture-im intrigued by an actually glochid free opuntia. First time im hearing this....

[ElieEstephane]

Nothing there! I handle them with my bare hands.

[stefan m.]

Huh. Guess artificial selection is to blame.

[DaveW]

Luther Burbank actually bred a few spineless Opuntia's for cattle feed and no doubt some of those are still around:-

http://www.lutherburbank.org/about-us/s ... ess-cactus

"Hybridization in Opuntia was first claimed by Luther Burbank in the early 1900s, which led to the development of the so-called ‘spineless’ cactus. Burbank saw it as having immense potential for cattle forage in desert areas. Several cultivars were developed, and Burbank aggressively marketed five of them (Dreyer, 1985). They were said to be the product of extensive crossing and selection among accessions shipped from Mexico and other countries. Today, four of these cultivars still remain in the South African collection."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burbank

[stefan m.]

So , the father of red and golden delicious apples gave us spineless indian fig cacti? An unusual piece of info, but this just proves the selective breeding bit...

[ElieEstephane]

But the fruit is not ghlochid free. But it's the best cactus fruit i have tasted.

[stefan m.]

Never had proper indian fig... Instead ive eaten the wild fruit of a opuntia dillenii in greece. Tasted something like beetroot mixed with kiwi. Not bad... unlike dragon fruit. Expensive for noting.
Picking on the other hand.... took me 30 mins to remove all the glochids from my hands and arms.

[ElieEstephane]

The best way to describe dragon fruit is like lettuce stalk indian fig is very sweet and juicy. It's my #1 fruit.