Cold hardy Opuntia in Toronto

andrew__ · Post by **andrew__** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:01 am

Here are some pictures I took of the plant in question in July 2008.

I will also probably need to move this plant this year - when's the best time to try this? How about best time to try rooting a cutting in case something goes wrong while moving it? And also I suppose what species is this?

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:56 am

It appears to me to be Opuntia macrorhiza though it may also be O. humifusa. These two can be so similar that they are really hard to tell apart.

If you don't want to disrupt this years flowering then I'd wait til the flowers are done then move, otherwise you can move it easily as early as April but may be better to wait to til May. Cuttings will root whenever its warm enough so May - Sep.

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:42 pm

By the way, if you ever have a spare cutting let me know

andrew__ · Post by **andrew__** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:55 pm

Opuntia macrorhiza was my first guess. My other option (instead of moving the plant) is moving the things around it. Which I may decide to do. I guess I still have time to think about it since it's still covered in snow.

I suppose cuttings should be taken after the pads have re-inflated. Should they be from new growths or will older pads root just as well?

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:08 pm

andrew__ wrote: I suppose cuttings should be taken after the pads have re-inflated. Should they be from new growths or will older pads root just as well?

Cuttings can be taken anytime of the year but best when its dry. A shriveled pad will root just fine when its warm enough. New pads shouldn't be taken as cuttings until they reach full size.

Post by **daiv** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:39 pm

Swell plant! I thought O. macrorhiza too, but mostly because I know little of O. humifusa. There are some notes that discuss both of those on this page:

http://www.cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus ... =cymochila

froggy · Post by **froggy** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:59 pm

Hey I have one of this to!
It was sold to me as Opuntia humifusa.
I heard somewhere that its the only native cactus to Ontario. I also have Opuntia fragilis and Opuntia basilaris (most likely something else though) growing out from of my house.

Thanks, Sean.

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:48 am

Not sure yours is O. macrorhiza although I have seen variation in them. Here is one of my O. macrorhiza'a.

eekawill · Post by **eekawill** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:12 am

ihc6480 wrote:Not sure yours is O. macrorhiza although I have seen variation in them. Here is one of my O. macrorhiza'a.

you must have to do some major pruning with that thing its a monster