Wild canadian cacti
Wild canadian cacti
Want to show you my pictures of native canadian cacti in habitat, Southern Alberta, shots from last couple of years. There is about four species of cacti growing in wild in Canada and 3 of them could be found in this province.
1. Escobaria vivipara. Most interesting of all cacti here for me. It is growing over eroded places along rivers, also on grassy hills. Local plants are flat and not so spiny as in South populations.
Blooming time is in June or July and every flower is open for just 2 or 3 days max. You would need a real luck to find those spots with plants with flowers.
You can see two species growing pritty close here.
If not in bloom these small plants is hard to spot in grassy areas.
Last year at one of the localities I was too early, cought the buds only...
At the end I found a strange specimen with narrow reddish flower leafs.
And some fruiting plants from last fall.
This tuft deserved some waiting to see the flowers but I had no that time then.
(to be continued)
1. Escobaria vivipara. Most interesting of all cacti here for me. It is growing over eroded places along rivers, also on grassy hills. Local plants are flat and not so spiny as in South populations.
Blooming time is in June or July and every flower is open for just 2 or 3 days max. You would need a real luck to find those spots with plants with flowers.
You can see two species growing pritty close here.
If not in bloom these small plants is hard to spot in grassy areas.
Last year at one of the localities I was too early, cought the buds only...
At the end I found a strange specimen with narrow reddish flower leafs.
And some fruiting plants from last fall.
This tuft deserved some waiting to see the flowers but I had no that time then.
(to be continued)
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
Re: Wild canadian cacti
nice habitat plants thanks for sharing. I never knew you had native cacti in Canada...every days a school day
cheers
Gaz
Gaz
Re: Wild canadian cacti
Also Opuntia fragilis grow in the Okanagan Valley and some of the Gulf Islands in B.C. They grow quite thick in the Vernon, B.C. area.
Re: Wild canadian cacti
2. Opuntia fragilis
Even Opuntia fragilis is the most Northern growing cactus at all I usually spot it not so often in Alberta.
Photos from Drumheller area.
But the most interesting find was on a lawn in some meters of the real wild habitat.
Because of growing very low, crawling - it can stay the regular mowing there with no problems.
Even Opuntia fragilis is the most Northern growing cactus at all I usually spot it not so often in Alberta.
Photos from Drumheller area.
But the most interesting find was on a lawn in some meters of the real wild habitat.
Because of growing very low, crawling - it can stay the regular mowing there with no problems.
Last edited by 7george on Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
-
- Posts: 458
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Re: Wild canadian cacti
It is interesting the many of the Opuntia fragilis plants that are found in Canada are introgressed with O. polyacantha as shown by their wider cladodes. Perhaps the hybrids are more vigorous and made it farther north.
Dean
Dean
Albert Dean Stock,Ph.D.
Re: Wild canadian cacti
I never get tired of seeing Escobaria vivipara in bloom. Those fat fruits are something else.
Re: Wild canadian cacti
3. Opuntia polyacantha; Most common of cacti here.
The biggest blooming clump I've ever found.
Fading flowers are getting pink often.
In September the growth is completed and bodies are much dehydrated to be ready for the coming frosts (October) and deeper colds (November).
The biggest blooming clump I've ever found.
Fading flowers are getting pink often.
In September the growth is completed and bodies are much dehydrated to be ready for the coming frosts (October) and deeper colds (November).
Last edited by 7george on Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
- Brunãozinho
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:33 am
- Location: Paraíba, Eastern Brazil
Re: Wild canadian cacti
Thanks for sharing those pics, it's always nice to see their natural environment.
Bruno
Re: Wild canadian cacti
I echo Bruno's comment. Habitat photos such as yours are so very interesting and important in better understanding these plants.Brunãozinho wrote:Thanks for sharing those pics, it's always nice to see their natural environment.
Re: Wild canadian cacti
And the blooming time is here again. Despite of a significant drought in the closest cacti habitat I visited yesterday.
Some rainy days passing through the region. I should go visit these cacti places again soon.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
Re: Wild canadian cacti
Some other photos from the last trip, even not much flowers were seen.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
Re: Wild canadian cacti
This year the bloom of Esobaria vivipara started very early in our South Alberta habitats. Most plants I saw in early June had faded flowers or even some early fruits already.
Either was too early in the morning and flowers were still closed.
Later in the afternoon some finally opened when the temperature at the ground level exceeded 20 C.
I guess these two were first-time bloomers.
More buds.
And young seedlings.
Cacti here live with snakes.
Opuntia's (O. polyacantha) just started their bloom opening flowers one by one for several weeks.
Some bees are hiding from the approaching storm in these flowers.
Wild cacti habitat.
Some fruiting plants (it is July 2nd) and 2 young seedlings at the right.
Either was too early in the morning and flowers were still closed.
Later in the afternoon some finally opened when the temperature at the ground level exceeded 20 C.
I guess these two were first-time bloomers.
More buds.
And young seedlings.
Cacti here live with snakes.
Opuntia's (O. polyacantha) just started their bloom opening flowers one by one for several weeks.
Some bees are hiding from the approaching storm in these flowers.
Wild cacti habitat.
Some fruiting plants (it is July 2nd) and 2 young seedlings at the right.
Last edited by 7george on Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
- mmcavall
- Posts: 1436
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2016 11:54 pm
- Location: São Carlos - SP, Southeast Brazil, Cerrado Region
Re: Wild canadian cacti
thanks for sharing information and photos! very interesting !
Re: Wild canadian cacti
Nice!
One thing that came to mind, how wel camoflaged these litle cacti are.
Tr hard to spot between the rocks and the foliage.
Its hard to eat them if u cant see them, i.guess.
Plant survival stratigies, tr briliant.
One thing that came to mind, how wel camoflaged these litle cacti are.
Tr hard to spot between the rocks and the foliage.
Its hard to eat them if u cant see them, i.guess.
Plant survival stratigies, tr briliant.
Re: Wild canadian cacti
Thank you for letting us know, what kinds of cacti can be found in Canada. I fully understand, that you do love your native Escobaria vivipara cactus.
E. vivipara also grows wild here in West Texas. However, our plants do not have their sepals arranged as orderly as the ones you have photographed, making our E. vivipara blossoms look unkempt.
Harald
E. vivipara also grows wild here in West Texas. However, our plants do not have their sepals arranged as orderly as the ones you have photographed, making our E. vivipara blossoms look unkempt.
Harald