Opuntia monacantha f. variegata

Scientific Name

Opuntia monacantha f. variegata

Accepted Scientific Name

Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.

Synonyms

Opuntia monacantha 'Variegata'

Scientific Classification

Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Opuntioideae
Tribe: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia

Description

Opuntia monacantha f. variegata is a fast-growing, shrubby or tree-like cactus, up to 20 feet (6 m) tall. The stem segments are oblong to obovate, variegated with white, creamy-white, yellow, green and sometimes also with pink, up to 12 inches (30 cm) long and up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) wide. The spines are brown and grey in color and up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long. The flowers are yellow to deep orange-brown, with reddish outer perianth segments, up to 3 inches (4.5 cm) long and up to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Though the large variety of species within the Opuntia genus means different types of Prickly Pears may need slightly different care. All are desert cacti that need lots of sun, lots of light and very little water. If you live in a hot, arid area, these plants can generally be planted outside, left alone, and enjoyed.

These cacti will grow just fine in a garden, but they can be grown in pots as well. To repot, ensure the soil is dry, then remove the pot and knock away the old soil. After treating any cuts with fungicide, place the cactus in a new pot and backfill it with potting soil. As with a new cutting, make sure not to water a newly repotting Prickly Pear for a brief period to avoid rotting its roots.

Opuntia can propagate either by cuttings or by seed. To propagate by cuttings, sever pads from a plant and let them dry so that the wounds heal. Then place the plants in dry soil and refrain from watering them until they begin to grow to avoid rotting them… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Opuntia

Origin

Opuntia monacantha f. variegata is a variegated form of Opuntia monacantha.