opuntia rooting?

by **Rachael321** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:53 am

These small blobs came off the big plant pictured poking up above the 6 foot high fence you can see. One was on the ground, the other I snapped off. Are the small blobs too small/immature to root? Do I need to cut the broken stalk bit off or slice right across the base of the blobs to expose flesh to get them to root?

Also any ideas what species? The blobs are about 2inches each and have a half inch depression in the tops (pic3).

Thanks

by **Andy_CT** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:56 am

That looks like Opuntia Ficus-Indica

Those blobs are unripened fruits, I'm not sure about this species but some fruits will root and start a new plant. They root through the areoles so you don't need to expose flesh underneath. The easier way to start a plant is to cut a large pad of the main plant, let the cut area dry for a week then plant. It will root quickly in warm weather.

by **ihc6480** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:42 pm

I agree with Andy on his ID and growing tips :wink:

by **TimN** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:28 am

You can root some Opuntia fruit, but they make funny looking plants that take a while to look like anything (compared to rooting a cladode.)

by **Saguaro123** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:33 am

TimN wrote:You can root some Opuntia fruit, but they make funny looking plants that take a while to look like anything (compared to rooting a cladode.)

Well, you could sell it on ebay and call it a monstrose. :lol:

What does a rooted fruit look like?

by **Loph** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:22 am

the fruit is delicious when ripe! great for adding colour and mild flavour to juices and teas

by **birdguy34** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 12:57 am

Byron,
Here are a couple of rooted Opuntia fruits I found in the driveway. I believe there are O. elata or possibly anacantha. It blooms later than most other Opuntias I have here, so the fruits are usually sterile and almost all grow into new plants when they hit the ground. They make great grafting stock also.

by **daiv** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 2:47 am

I've rooted A. cylindrica from a fruit and it came up 'normal'. No unusual growth on that one.

by **Saguaro123** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:15 am

They do kind of have some thin pads.
Thanks for the example Chris.

Website · by **Moonbeam** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:36 am

I planted a fruit from one and it is growing and flowering. Old pic, it's gettin' really big now.

The ones in front are not the same as the ones in back. They were just temporarily sharing a pot.

by **ihc6480** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:38 am

Thats pretty neat Moonbeam :wink:

Nice flower too

by **daiv** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:21 pm

Yeah, I love the flower right off the fruit like that!

opuntia rooting?

opuntia rooting?

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