Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Opuntia down

One of my first few dozen or so posts when I started this blog in 2009 was about a neighbor’s opuntia. In an attempt to straighten them up from their limp, folded-over, winter posture she tied them up, I called it cactus bondage. Evidently she knew what she was doing because it worked. In the last 4 years that container of pads has grown and grown. So much so the owner hacked back its twin last spring. I guess one huge mass of opuntia in a parking strip was enough for her. I’ve been watching this plant slowly deflate in our cold temperatures, bending over further and further. Up until now it had remained intact, today a pair of pads broke off.

I guess those are two more pads for me! As I’ve mentioned before this particular patch of opuntia is where I got my first pads, and has gone on to supply even more for my garden, as well as many I’ve given away to friends. None of my plants are as tall as these, and I’ve been watching them as an indicator of how my plants are feeling about the temperatures.

It’s frozen, solid. So brittle.

The pads even look frozen (the multi-colored appearance), although it is very hard to see in a photo. The fallen pieces we took home (I do have a standing agreement with the owner to pick up any pads that fall from the mother plant) were so heavy and solid, I just couldn’t leave them outside. They defrosted on the kitchen counter. Who knows if I did the right thing, but I guess I wanted to treat them as insurance for a spiky future, just in case.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

21 comments:

  1. Speaking as the World's Foremost Authority on plant death, remember what Yogi Berra said, "It isn't over until it's over". Some opuntias aren't bright enough to lose all the water from the cells like a smart opuntia would, and yet they still survive. If the cells freeze (technical term "going kablooie"), you see the damage pretty quickly. Turning clear, or white, for example, is a bad sign.

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    1. Wow that's quite the lofty title you've got! Strangely most of my opuntia have stayed upright, with just one sort of at a tilt. I thought about trying to prop it up yesterday but discovered there was no moving it. Thankfully I am not seeing any pads that are clearish or white. Tough buggers!

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  2. You're an incurable opuntia addict! Best of luck with your latest fix!

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  3. Interesting... tell us what happens...if the frost has been too bad for your new pads or if they survive!

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    1. Will do, I imagine there will be a few winter follow-up reports. This morning we're experiencing ice...not great since I took off all the covers yesterday!

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  4. Looks like my opuntia right now. Still amazes me that we can grow them - even if they do freeze every once in a while :P

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  5. Those discolorations are too familiar! But not all may be lost, as part of that shrinking / limping-up process is also the cactus exposing less of itself to survive the cold...while they drop pads and some pads die, one never knows until well into spring, except the cactus.

    You also have a back-up supply for your spiky future down here, too. Your care for each plant is a healthy balance to my attitude, "just let it deal with the extremes"!

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    1. They are pretty smart aren't they? Releasing moisture, shrinking.

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  6. I noticed the tallest "branch" on my Opuntia basilaris is leaning over so much that I'm afraid it will snap off. I wonder if that's normal winter behavior? Opuntia basilaris is more than hardy in our climate.

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    1. Indeed normal winter behavior, although not the snapping off part.

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  7. This is why we cold-climate opuntia growers don't have these tall, multi-tiered wonders, but instead end up with big patches of prickles. Maybe I need to provide a support structure next winter?

    Did you ever get an ID on this species?

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    1. The only garden here in Portland where I have seen a super tall opuntia did have a support built around it. I found it to be rather unsightly (this coming from someone who just spent a week with her garden looking like a garage sale explosion). No ID on it...I wish!

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  8. My only Opuntia, 'Burbank's Spineless' is down for the count. I don't think it's going to make it. Hope your pads thaw and thrive!

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    1. I think it will Jane. Tune in tomorrow (Thursday) for some photos of a patch of 'Burbank's Spineless' I've seen recover time and again.

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  9. Well, I'm here in currently frozen NW Ohio, Zone 5b and we have a native Opuntia (O. humifusa ) that does just fine. It certainly freezes and thaws over and over throughout the winter. But then this is the Eastern prickly pear cactus, so it's made to take it. Hope this one is okay!

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    1. I love Opuntia humifusa! They are such drama queens and bloom better than any other opuntia in my garden.

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  10. It's fascinating to see their reaction with the cold. The way they contract and bend is a protective reaction from what I gathered before. It's almost like a natural weather gauge, seeing their reaction is indicator how cold it really is. Hope the two fallen pads you rescued will do well.

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    1. Yes exactly, like a natural weather gauge! Andrew reported this morning when he walked by these were even flatter. Poor things. Of course I'll be checking them out a bit later.

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  11. Camille-like, the fainting opuntias are charming...but Camille died. Oh dear...I hope that doesn't happen here.

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