Cosiness in the house is created by beautiful things, furniture, paintings and other accessories. But flowers grown in pots give a special zest to any room. Today you can buy almost any plant, even the most outlandish. All kinds of cacti have been very popular lately. They look especially exotic when they begin to bloom. Within the framework of this publication, a flat cactus and its species will be considered.
General Description
First of all, it is worth determining the name of a flat cactus. It belongs to the cactus family, the genus Opuntia, which has about three hundred species. This plant is common in vast areas of South and North America. The main place of concentration of prickly pear is Mexico. About half of the species can be found there. Also, these cacti have spread as invasive plants in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. They are the most tenacious and unpretentious, so they can grow almost anywhere.
Prickly pears havedark green, succulent, flat, leafy and jointed stems that resemble cakes. Their cladodia are quite thick, palm-sized, obovate or oblong, and grow out of each other. Sometimes flattened stems are mistaken for ordinary leaves. On young segments in the areoles, rudimentary leaves pressed to the surface can be seen. After a while they just fall off. The leaves themselves are bright green, small, subulate and juicy. In nature, prickly pear can reach a height of 6 meters. At home, they usually do not grow more than 60 centimeters.
Within the framework of this article, it is impossible to consider all types of flat cacti. Therefore, only some of them will be described.
Common prickly pear
This tree-like cactus native to Mexico grows to a height of 4-6 meters. From April to September, yellow, rather large flowers open on it. The segments are colored light green. They have areoles with yellowish glochidia and gray pubescence. Some grow from one to four strong spines. On young segments in the areoles there are rudimentary leaves that are pressed to the surface of the segment, but then fall off.
Prickly pear is often used to decorate lobbies, halls, terraces, balconies and winter gardens. The optimum temperature for keeping is considered to be 8-10 degrees Celsius. But this species can tolerate up to minus 5 degrees. To grow this cactus in a room, only young specimens should be taken,so they can settle down.
White-haired prickly pear
The flat cactus got its name because of the very long and snow-white spines. They are quite large and sharp. They are evenly strewn with the entire surface of the stems. During flowering, large yellow inflorescences open. Inside them you can see a greenish stigma. It is worth noting that the fruits of this prickly pear are tasty and he althy, so they are eaten.
The birthplace of this species is Mexico, where it grows everywhere. Under natural conditions, the white-haired cactus branches magnificently and reaches 4-5 meters. Indoors, this plant is not particularly torn in height. Its segments will be large, but only about 20 centimeters.
Aciculata
Another flat cactus grows on almost every corner of dry, hot Mexico. He has several names. "Atsikulata", "Chenil Spiky Hat", "Old Cowboy's Mustache". The names appeared because of the numerous glochidia up to 1 centimeter long, with which the surface of the flattened rounded stems is dotted. They themselves are painted greenish, and sometimes gray or even gray.
Any gardener will appreciate the flowers of this species. They are quite large (10 centimeters in diameter), have a yellow, orange or deep red hue. The fruits, as in the case of the white-haired prickly pear, are also edible. The shape resembles a pear, only covered with small thorns.
Long-spiked prickly pear
This is a bushy cactus with flat leaves that tend to "lie down" on the surface. The members are smallslightly flattened, have a club-shaped-spherical shape. They form chains and reach a length of 3-4 centimeters. Areoles are brown, have bunches of reddish glochidia, many scarlet marginal spines and one long thin central one. Long-spiked prickly pear flowers open wide. Usually painted red or orange.
Small-haired prickly pear
For the first time this species was described by the German botanist and scientist Johann Lehmann back in the 20s of the 19th century, when he was researching Mexican nature in the state of Hidalgo.
This plant looks like erect shoots with a variety of flat leaves, which are covered with the smallest snow-white or brown glochidia. Such a cactus does not have real thorns, but it is still unpleasant to touch it. Moreover, it will be difficult to pull out the ingrained glochidia from the skin. Small-haired prickly pear grows up to 1 meter in height. What this flat cactus looks like, the photo below demonstrates in full.
This species is used to create various compositions and arrangements, or simply planted in a pot on a windowsill facing south or southwest. It is best to propagate these cacti in greenhouses, because only there you can create optimal conditions. If they are observed, from five to twenty large buds of saturated lemon color may appear on one segment. By the way, flowering in apartment conditions is not so easy to achieve.
You can propagate small-haired prickly pear in the spring and summer using cuttings. They are rooted in the sandpositive air temperature of 20-22 degrees. As a soil, a mixture of sand, peat, humus, hardwood and sod land will be optimal. Everything is taken in equal proportions. Humidity should be low. But as the cactus grows, watering needs to be increased, and in winter it should be limited again. Feed enough once every 2-3 weeks during spring and summer with mineral fertilizer. In summer, the plant needs bright lighting, so during this period it is better to transfer the prickly pear to the open air. The temperature should be between 10-28 degrees Celsius, and in winter - about 8-12 degrees.
Prickly pear Berger
In nature, such a flat cactus prefers stony soils and reaches 2-3 meters. But in apartment conditions, it will be no higher than 60 centimeters. The segments of the segments are irregularly shaped and covered with sparse areolas. From them grow rather rigid spines and glochidia, characteristic of this family. During flowering, Bergera has beautiful and bright buds of scarlet or red-orange color. Fruits are also available, edible and even useful, but as a rule, they do not grow at home.
Prickly pear Lindheimer
This is a great variety for home growing. He is preferred by those who dream of an exotic four-meter plant on their site. The trunk has a bushy appearance. From it come flattened stems-plates of a somewhat elongated or oval shape. The glochidia of this cactus are translucent, slightly yellowish, which makes them even more unusual.
It is noteworthy that prickly pear blooms profuselywithout any effort even in the conditions of the apartment. There are a lot of buds on each segment, at least 3-5 pieces. They are small, but very beautiful, bright yellow, which is very clearly visible in the photo above. The flat cactus of this species also has purple or brownish fruits. They are quite edible, tasting more sweet than sour.
Prickly Pear Subulata
This cactus native to Peru stands out from other members of the family with its appearance. It has a cylindrical stem, which is typical for succulents. It has almost imperceptible small and flat tubercles. The leaves are also cylindrical, green, up to 10 centimeters long. Yellow large and hard needle-shaped spines are framed by white glochidia. The cactus itself grows very quickly and can reach 2 meters in height. But in an apartment, it usually does not exceed 50 centimeters.
Subulata blooms no more than once a year. During this period, rather large (5-8 centimeters in diameter) reddish or yellow-scarlet buds are formed. In order for them to have a rich color, the plant needs to provide good sunlight. It must be kept at a positive temperature of 10-15 degrees. But prickly pear can feel good even when the thermometer shows +5. This species is best propagated by cuttings. They are planted either in greenhouses or in pots and placed on windowsills that face the sunny side.
Grassroots prickly pear
There are also other names for this flat cactus. It is referred to in the literature as the main or main prickly pear. The species was found in the southwestern United States, so theseareas are considered his homeland. These cacti grow in abundance in Anza Borrego, Colorado and the Mojave Desert.
Grassroots prickly pear grows up to one meter in height. It has small fleshy stems-segments, which are covered with spines and glochidia. This cactus is easy to recognize in the spring and summer, when beautiful pink inflorescences begin to appear. When they fall off, fruits form on the stems. They are quite tasty and he althy, so they are used as food. The Indians used all parts of the plant (segments, buds and seeds).
Prickly Pear Gosselina
This long flat cactus is also called purple because of the characteristic color of young shoots. Homeland is Mexico and the USA. There, this species is found everywhere.
Mature leaves also attract attention with their blue-green color and beautiful gray tint. The spines grow up to 10 centimeters, but are quite soft to the touch. They are located only in the upper part of the stems. In nature, an adult plant reaches a height of one meter. But at home, achieving such growth is extremely difficult. This cactus blooms quite early. The buds are red, but more often - bright yellow. Regardless of the color, they are unusually beautiful. Inflorescences eventually turn into edible fruits that have a pleasant taste and aroma.
Fig (Indian) prickly pear
This species is specially cultivated by many Mexicans in order to eat its fruits. They are tasty, he althy and unusually sweet. Shaped like a pear andcovered with thorns, which do not interfere with the use of fruits in food. Also, fig prickly pear in a wild state is found everywhere on the southern coast of Crimea. There she concentrates in small groups.
This species is a cactus with long, flat leaves that have rather fleshy segments, like succulents. The stems branch noticeably, forming a wide bush. In the natural environment, it stretches to a height of 3-4 meters. The stems are covered with thorns, and yellow buds form at the top. After flowering, they turn into green, yellow or red fruits. They are shaped like a pear and reach a length of 5-8 centimeters. Inside the fruit are quite large seeds and translucent whitish flesh. After removing the peel with thorns, it can be used to prepare fruit salads or cook compotes, jam and jam.
This type of prickly pear is great for making hedges. But it can also be grown indoors. In summer, the cactus needs intense sunlight. Therefore, during this period it is recommended to keep it outdoors. In winter, a cool room is more suitable. But you can also leave the plant in a warm room, as it tolerates air dried up by heating appliances well.
Kurasava prickly pear
This is a bushy flat cactus with trailing leaves-stems. The segments are light green, narrow and long (up to 2-5 centimeters). Areoles are small, woolly, have from four light spines. They break off easily even with a gentle touch, whichcauses easy and rapid reproduction of the plant. The birthplace of this prickly pear is the island of Curacao and all the nearest islands located north of Venezuela.
Prickly pear
This is another species that can be classified as a domestic flat cactus. It is a bushy, upright, low plant that consists of noticeably branched stems. Prickly pear differs in that the lobes are not flattened, but rounded. Segments do not exceed 2-3 centimeters in length. The segments are brittle and fall off easily, which is why the cactus got its name. Areoles small, with very short white spines. During flowering, pale yellow buds with green stigmas form.
Powerful prickly pear
This species deservedly got its name. The flat-leaved cactus has fairly impressive shoots. Their diameter varies between 30-50 centimeters. In general, the plant is a tree-like cactus with rounded and thick shoots, which are dotted with a grayish coating. The areoles of this prickly pear are sparse, with yellowish or white spines. During flowering, interesting buds appear, which are bright red on the outside and rich yellow on the inside. The homeland of the species is Argentina.
Mighty prickly pear can be propagated by seeds and cuttings. The first method is used in the spring, extracting grains from the fruits. Cuttings need to be cut in the summer so that rooting has already taken place by autumn, and the cactus can survive the winter well.
So, the publication considered several types of prickly pear - a flat cactus. Of course, this is just the tip of a giant iceberg, as there are many more. These varieties are very similar in appearance, but still have their own distinctive features. Sometimes only an experienced specialist who understands such a large family of prickly pear can determine the species.
