Using Opuntia as Stock plant

hafezzahruddin · Post by **hafezzahruddin** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:00 pm

Hi there. I'm an amateur cactus collector. Last weekm I grafted a few cacti pups on opuntia pads. Here are the results.
I grafted 6 specimens, but only 3 succeeded. I can't wait to see them grow!
The scions are growing as I can see new growth of spines.

Loph · Post by **Loph** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:29 pm

well done! cant wait to see the speed. what Oputia specie?ficus?

hafezzahruddin · Post by **hafezzahruddin** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:59 am

I'm not sure what kind opuntia that is.
The areole is a bit prominent to be Opuntia ficus. Hmmm.... maybe Opuntia bravoana.
But then again, it can be O.ficus..

Owh whatever, as long as it is a hardy and strong stock plant with robust root system.

Besides, the connection between the scion and stock plant may not be suberose as time goes by.

Lewis_cacti · Post by **Lewis_cacti** » Sun May 04, 2008 7:45 am

I have seen O. compressa used as a grafting stock on cactus-art.biz with very good results.

hmm using opuntias as grafting stocks, maybe then i will have a reason to include them in my collection.

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Mon May 05, 2008 12:39 am

Lewis-cactus said:

hmm using opuntias as grafting stocks, maybe then i will have a reason to include them in my collection.

I knew there was a way to get you to come over to the darkside

Loph · Post by **Loph** » Mon May 05, 2008 7:43 am

LOL. he's just bitter cause his country is over run! can quite squich em like a cain toad, eh?

On the plus side, i guess you can find lots for free eh? i can't ever see Aus going hungry. toad fillet with a side of fried Opuntia

maybe a side of rabbit soup?

anyway, on subject. i have killer every single lophophora i tried grafting to opuntia...but some others took until i bumped them. i may give this a try again, your pics are inspiring.

Lewis_cacti · Post by **Lewis_cacti** » Mon May 05, 2008 11:15 am

ihc6480 wrote:Lewis-cactus said:

hmm using opuntias as grafting stocks, maybe then i will have a reason to include them in my collection.
I knew there was a way to get you to come over to the darkside

yep, i included that comment just for you Bill.

LOL yes, Loph, i can get many for free, not that i am particularly keen these days as i could be reported and fined, but some of the first cacti i got were opuntias i grew from wild-growing pads. fine, i'll admit it

, there are a few opuntiods in my collection, namely some monstrose ones (O. vulgaris monstrose +variegata monstrose) that grow like weeds and weekend gardeners seem to cultivate in plague propotions for weekend markets, O. microdasys yellow form cristata and rufida minima and some cylindropuntia with real leaves, and a couple of Tephrocactus, namely papyracanthus and coratillo which i prefer. at least these ones grow at a manageable rate. in fact i like the tephrocactus/

Bill, whilst Aus may seem Opuntia-heaven (especially if you are particularly fond of the most excellent best species O. ficus-indica and stricta), don't be overly eager to immigrate, as many types are classified as weeds and you are discouraged from growing them. you might not get the best reception trying to import your favs from US, or trying to get off an inbound plane with pads attatched to you. in some cases certain species are declared 'noxious weeds' that you are prohibited from growing altogether. same fate has affected harrisia and pereskia which are now also considered weeds. also some cylindropuntias are weeds. The Aus government is becoming increasingly strict, and many more Opuntia species and in general cacti are to follow... Western Australia has gone a bit extreme in declaring Lophophora williamsii a noxious weed!! (sorry loph unfortunately there are no wild clumps growing there)

however Bill, if you want i can post pics of 'wild' O. ficus-indicas 5meters tall and 8m across in some abandoned front yards if you are interested lol. aso many Italians and Greeks grow them in suburban gardens for their fruit which they turn into jam. I must go bush and find some areas completely overun with opuntias to show you the Aussie equivalent of your garden.

Loph · Post by **Loph** » Mon May 05, 2008 12:42 pm

post some pics! i would love it....be a nice thread in the outdoor section "Wild Aussie Cacti" that would be cool!

WHAT?!?! where did all those noxious Lophophora go? last time i went there they were taking over and killing all the birds and dingo's...i love saying dingo. are they just illegal to own cause of mescaline, or do they actually call them noxious weeds? is Ariocarpus a noxious weed there as well? lol.

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Tue May 06, 2008 1:08 am

Heck yeah Lewis. Post some habitat shots in the Outdoor Section

It's understandable about the opuntias downunder but sometimes laws get a little carried away with some bans.

I know you have some opuntiods in your collection but I still like having fun poking at you just as you like having fun too

Lewis_cacti · Post by **Lewis_cacti** » Tue May 06, 2008 5:11 am

Loph wrote:post some pics! i would love it....be a nice thread in the outdoor section "Wild Aussie Cacti" that would be cool!

ihc6480 wrote:

Heck yeah Lewis. Post some habitat shots in the Outdoor Section
It's understandable about the opuntias downunder but sometimes laws get a little carried away with some bans.

Yes, i was thinking about doing that a while ago. Michael would also have some wild Opuntia pics, but he hasn't been on the forum in a while. i could also post some pics of about 5 different types of Agave growing wild, especially A. americana and americana variegata. i can help myself to those if need be. i have also seen cereus peruvianus growing at random locations in the countryside looking out my car window. must stop and get some pics. it was quite interesting about a month ago. we were heading up a freeway and as we turned the corner i saw a small spiny type of opuntia growing on the roadside. (about 30cm flat growing clump). i had never seen this type growing wild before. i thought of taking a photo to post here. but we were unable to stop the car because it is a freeway. As we came around the next hill it became apparent that this type of Opuntia was not an isolated occurance. The entire hill was blanketed in them!!, an impenetrable barrier of knee high pricklies. they has yellow flowers form memory. But once we passed this one hill there were no more. they onyl existed on this one side of a hill. Didn't see any more for the rest of the trip.

loph wrote:

WHAT?!?! where did all those noxious Lophophora go? last time i went there they were taking over and killing all the birds and dingo's...i love saying dingo. are they just illegal to own cause of mescaline, or do they actually call them noxious weeds? is Ariocarpus a noxious weed there as well? lol.

It a 'noxious weed'. not sure about Ariocarpus but wouldn't doubt it either. basically their state is overly strict regarding which plants can and cannot be grown, due to their isolation on the western half of the continent they are free from many of the weeds and diseases that affect parts of eatern australia. some plants are considered to have to high a 'weed potential' and are prohibited from being cultivated.

buck tumbleweed · Post by **buck tumbleweed** » Thu May 08, 2008 4:42 pm

thought this would be a good place to chime in I have recently been working with opuntia cylindrica for grafting base material ,

you can see on at least one that new growth has just started I have about 24 grafted to opuntia ,I will try to add some better pics soon.

this is a recent pic of one of my t. peruvianus because I did not secure this scion down to the base it lifted and is only holding on by a little although this seems to be growing in diameter at the joint of the two this one has just started becoming enlarged as seen at the top portion
I have a couple of frici started on the opuntia as well but they are not far along enough to show new growth but as soon as they do I will get pics provided they take to the opuntia.Patrick

hafezzahruddin · Post by **hafezzahruddin** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:07 am

That's nice! Too bad I cannot find any O.cylindrica around my place...
I'll post follow ups of the grafting soon. TQ!