Opuntia Robusta Growth

[chapsandmutton]

Hi all --

First time poster, short time lurker.

I'm writing to get some information about a particular species of cactus, opuntia robusta, that is flourishing in the backyard of a new house I just moved to. We're talking a patch 50' long x 10' high x 20' deep -- very mature, with big thick stumps all around. It's so big, in fact, that it's starting to encroach on the back patio. The gardener seems to mostly keep it in check but I'm not sure how much more aggressive we need to be with it.

That is, until two nights ago. One of the opuntia's fell on it's face, breaking off cleanly halfway up it's trunk, taking with it all new growth paddles, leaving behind only a stump. The question I have is, does the opuntia robusta only sprout new growth from paddles, or will it propagate out of the (paddleless) stump if that's the only route?



As you can see, where the ladder is used to look like to the right of it. I'm still in the process of cleaning up 200 lbs of mature cactus. So many thorns!

[tudedude]

It will propagate from the trunk, and from the pads, and everything in between. You can't kill the beast for it shall multiply.

[chapsandmutton]

Ha! Had a gardener out today who said the same thing.

Thanks for the relief! Any clue how fast this grows? We're probably looking at years to match the growth to the right, correct? Gardener we called recommended we prune back the right side opuntia to even it out.

[jfabiao]

Should it be Opuntia robusta and you wouldn't have to worry much, it's a species that makes impressive growth but takes its time. However, I'm afraid your plant is O. ficus-indica instead, a much more agressive and invasive species. O. robusta makes circular pads over a foot in diameter.

[chapsandmutton]

Ah! Good to know.

Not too much to worry about it -- it's a rental property -- but good to hear that it will grow back rapidly. It has certainly shown how aggressive it can be, growing out onto the patio, into the agave and aloe plants, and pretty much anything else. With it's bouganvilla buddy nearby they're both making relatively quick work of taking over any and all available growing space.

Thankfully, this is but one small part of the property, as you can see:



Today we have a gardener coming to haul away the fallen cactus and prune back what you saw in my last picture so that we're keeping it at bay for at least the year.

[jfabiao]

What a nice backyard!

[chapsandmutton]

Thanks! It's a great rental find. Front yard has the biggest bird of paradise I've ever seen! Behind everything in that picture there's a mature pomogranite, mandarin, meyer lemon, grapefruit, and maturing avocado and apple. Pretty crazy!

Anyone have any guesses what kind of cactus is in the above picture?

[tudedude]

Looks like some kind of Euphorbia.