Flowering Question

Anything relating to Cacti or CactiGuide.com that doesn't fit in another category should be posted under General.
Post Reply
shoshana5000
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:25 pm
Location: Springtucky, Oregon

Flowering Question

Post by shoshana5000 »

Feel free to redirect me if I should be posting this question elsewhere. I couldn't quite decide which category it falls into.

I am trying to figure out if the Opuntia cochenillifera variegata produces flowers. I'm pretty sure it does not (or I'd be able to find images on Google), but I thought I'd check in and see if someone can say for certain, or maybe tell me why not. The non-variegated variety does, and I'm just wondering. Is inflorescence impossible.. or just rare? And...why?

I'm sure I'll feel a little ignorant when and if I receive an answer, but I'm willing to go there.

Thank you!
User avatar
Nic
Posts: 148
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:12 pm
Location: Albion California zone 9

Re: Flowering Question

Post by Nic »

AFAIK All true variegates have the capacity to flower, but many won't because they don't produce enough sugar to support a flower, thus they don't unless grafted.

Here is a link that has some pictures of them flowering.
https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/op ... ifera.html

By true variegates I mean ones that were caused genetically and not by any external force used by propagaters to produce variegation (if they do said things, which I don't know) and even if they do, some will still flower depending on the cause. Of course there will be the occasional plant that genetically can't produce flowers, but those will be rather uncommon.
There is no cactus you can't eat, but you just might regret it if you eat the wrong one.
User avatar
7george
Posts: 2623
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2014 7:49 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada
Contact:

Re: Flowering Question

Post by 7george »

Sure, it does.
Image

Image
My photos.
Image

Google doesn't tell you everything.
Last edited by 7george on Sun Apr 02, 2017 3:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
DaveW
Posts: 7369
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Flowering Question

Post by DaveW »

All so called flowering plants flower, it's just that some do not until very large. Some cacti may take your lifetime to reach flowering stage from seed. Luckily most we grow will flower around five years old or so, and some even their second year from seed. Usually the large Cerei like Carnegia's (Saguaro's) need to grow fairly tall to start flowering. Some of the eventually larger cacti are grown for their interesting forms rather than in the expectation we will flower them from small plants. Also plants grown in a pot in the house may not flower as quickly as one planted in open ground outdoors in warmer countries.

"By 70 years of age, a saguaro cactus can reach 6 and a half feet tall, and will finally start to produce their first flowers. By 95-100 years in age, a saguaro cactus can reach a height of 15-16 feet, and could start to produce its first arm."

Even some of the really chlorophyll deficient ones can when grafted. Variegation is usually just chlorophyll deficient areas in the plant, rather than the plant being totally chlorophyll deficient.

http://www.mycactusplants.com/resources ... 8387867743

http://www.mycactusplants.com/non-chlor ... plants.php
Post Reply