My prickly pear alert network is on it! When I posted photos of the Opuntia House, my friend Susan mentioned this Opuntia hedge in the making...
I'm sure readers in the desert will look at this and say "that's a hedge?" But this is Portland folks. You don't encounter a planting like this all that often.
The majority of the plants look like the same No I.D. ones I've got growing in my front garden (from a neighbor who brought them out with her from the Midwest).
The flowers are the same.
The pads and the fruit are very similar.
These plants have been here awhile too.
This kind of desiccation does not occur overnight.
Isn't it cool though? To see the structure under the flesh?
I would have loved to know why the homeowners were inspired to start such a planting. I suppose I could have knocked on the door and asked. But I had an appointment I had to get to, so we're just left to wonder.
There's gonna be a lot of fruit in the upcoming months!
Okay, another gratuitous flower shot. What can I say?
There were a handful of these spikier pads.
They've definitely got attitude.
Also something very PNW, moss on Opuntia. Oh ya...
Walking back to my car I spotted the decorative manhole cover. Milwaukie is a Portland suburb...
Weather Diary, July 23: Hi 95, Low 63/ Precip 0
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Powerful deterrent and low maintenance would be my guesses. Possibly better then a guard dog, except Opuntia will not great you warmly when you come home from work.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't want it jumping on you, that's for sure.
DeleteEver since you mentioned that Opuntia is the new peony, I've been looking at it in an entirely different way. Hedges are used widely in my area in lieu of fences so maybe this would be an alternative along the property line at the bottom of the slope. I bet that could even keep the coyotes (if not the bunnies) out!
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget seeing Opuntias in Jerome, AZ, that had been snacked on, big bites too! I forget what the guy running the shop said had done it, but they were brave (and thirsty?) souls.
DeleteAnother Opuntia mystery. Makes a great hedge & that dessicated bit is really cool!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the city would say if I started an Opuntia planting in our hell strip...
DeleteDefinitely the variety that I see growing at the top of hills in the country. Love those bright yellow flowers.
ReplyDeleteAren't they lovely!?
DeleteIt says no parking to me.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteI think this would solve the problem of dogs leaving their business a lawn! ;)
ReplyDeleteHa! Excellent point.
DeleteThat's a lot of prickles...
ReplyDeleteYes sir.
DeleteHey you found it! And made a post out of it! Yay!! I *think* I remember this being present in the early 2000's when I lived a couple blocks away, so yeah, they've been there a while!
ReplyDeleteMoss on an Opuntia, now that's something you don't see here!
ReplyDelete