Scientific Name
Maihuenia patagonica (Phil.) Britton & Rose
Common Name(s)
Spiny Green Blanket
Synonym(s)
Opuntia patagonica
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Maihuenioideae
Genus: Maihuenia
Origin
Maihuenia patagonica is native to Chile and Argentina. It grows in dry, exposed places in semi-desert, rocky plains, grasslands, arid steppe, and subalpine regions of Patagonia.
Description
Maihuenia patagonica is a highly branched cactus that forms dense cushions of spiny club-shaped stems with numerous short, more or less cylindrical lateral branches. It grows from a single long taproot and can reach up to 12 inches (30 cm) in height. The stems can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) in diameter, while the branches can grow up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) long and 0.5 inches (1.2 cm) in diameter. The leaves are green, cylindrical with a pointed tip, and can measure up to 0.25 inches (0.6 cm) long and up to 0.15 inches (0.3 cm) in diameter. Young areoles are white-felted. The spines range from silvery-white, grey, yellowish, pinkish, to reddish. Each areole bears one stiff central spine, measuring up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, and usually two more flexible lateral spines measuring up to 0.3 inches (0.8 cm) long.
The solitary flowers are white, pale pink, or bluish-pink and appear at the tip of the lateral branches in late spring and summer. They can reach up to 2.2 inches (5.5 cm) in diameter. The fruits are obovate to club-shaped and can grow up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 6a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Maihuenia is an easy-to-grow plant. It can survive outside in the garden in the sunny rockery in a sheltered place, but only if it's protected with a sheet of glass during the wintertime. It is also very good for a large pot that can be stored inside an unheated greenhouse or on a balcony, somewhat protected from moisture during the winter. Still, it is probably safest to grow it in the Alpine House or a raised bed inside an unheated greenhouse all year round, with lots of ventilation. They should not be kept hot in summer as they are from high elevations.
It's good to enrich the soil during the growing season using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous but poor in nitrogen. It is best to place it in a position exposed to at least a few hours of direct sunlight for balanced development. Water these plants only occasionally if grown outdoors, but they should be watered abundantly if grown in a pot or greenhouse during the summer. With a high-temperature swing between the day and night hours and pretty frequent rains, the spring weather can favor the development of fungus diseases, which should be treated with a systemic fungicide. Repot it every 2 to 3 years.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Maihuenia.
Links
- Back to genus Maihuenia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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