OPUNTIA CHUMBERA

ORIGIN AND CHARACTERISTICS

It is a cactus also known as "Opuntia Ficus-Indica", it is endemic to America although since the Spanish brought them to Europe from 1500 AD it is a species that we can find naturally in southern Europe.

This species can reach 4 meters in height, being a highly branched plant. Its segments are oval in shape, fleshy and bear two kinds of spines, some are long and hard while the others have a hairy appearance.

Its flowering comes once a year, during the spring season, giving crown-shaped flowers that are born from the areoles found in the Opuntia segments. These flowers are of different colors, highlighting the yellow and red colors. They also bear fruits known as berries.

DECORATION OF ... EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR?

We can incorporate them into both environments, outdoors it is usually used for garden decoration as solitary specimens or by joining several in a rockery for further decoration. We can also incorporate them into the interior of our home since its particular shape will give it a decorative touch, we just have to make sure that it is in a sunny area with a pot that drains the water correctly.

CARE FOR CACTUS AND SUCCULENTS

They are showy plants, very pretty and that practically do not need much maintenance.

- They prefer places with direct light or that have good lighting, preferably next to a window, on a balcony, a terrace or in your Garden.

- They can withstand low temperatures, around 0ºC.

- It is essential that they have good drainage, both in the soil and in a pot.

- The ideal substrate for cacti has to be combined with sand and gravel, so that they have good drainage, humidity and excess water are not good.

- Irrigation does not have to be excessive. From spring to autumn, which would be its growth period, water every 15 days, abundant watering and wait until the soil is very dry again. In winter do not water or give one watering per month.

- Fertilizer. During the growing season (spring - autumn) you can fertilize them with worm humus. Eggshells are a good homemade fertilizer, they contain (Calcium, Iron, Potassium, magnesium and Phosphorus) these nutrients are very important and favor their growth, you must crush and mix them with the substrate, administer them a couple of times a year.

- Treatment against fungi due to excess humidity, disinfect the area with a copper-based fungicide.

- If you want to transplant them from the pot or the ground, the best time would be from spring.

And don't forget that to work with cacti you have to wear good gloves.