Oh how they change

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:20 am

Yep, believe it or not cacti can change appearance. At the end of the growing season last year this was a small three pad plant with character.

Well it has grown a little this season and traded it's character in for some attitude

Check out the attitude of the 3 inch spines.

Post by **CoronaCactus** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:32 am

Be carefull, next season he may have ties to the *familia*

Very nice Opuntia Bill!

Post by **daiv** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:32 am

This is fascinating Bill. It appears that the pads are for the most part developed and the spines continue to develop after that. I've never observed this before. Here is a question. How do spines grow? From the base like hairs on your head? That would be my guess.

süleyman · Post by **süleyman** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:17 am

wow !. very dangerous spines

Bill in SC · Post by **Bill in SC** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:05 pm

Cool sequence, Bill!!
BB in SC

peter · Post by **peter** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:55 pm

Hi Bill
No doubt about the attitude, 'don't touch me!'

Andy_CT · Post by **Andy_CT** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:36 pm

Bill, what Oputia is that? That's one I'd like to introduce to my squirrels

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:45 pm

Darryl wrote,

Be carefull, next season he may have ties to the *familia*

I fear him and his cousins done have control of the area

Heres his smaller but mean cousin whose delicate side comes out with ivory flowers.
Of course by now you know I love killer spines

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:49 pm

daiv wrote:This is fascinating Bill. It appears that the pads are for the most part developed and the spines continue to develop after that. I've never observed this before. Here is a question. How do spines grow? From the base like hairs on your head? That would be my guess.

Daiv,
I have a few that the spines do continue to develop after the pad has fully developed. I can't explain it but I'll definitely accept it considering we're talking about opuntia's. One never surely knows about them

And yes, I would say they grow from the base like hairs on your head.

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:57 pm

Andy_CT wrote:Bill, what Oputia is that? That's one I'd like to introduce to my squirrels

Hi Andy,

I recieved this with a few others cuttings that were from Utah and the guy had no idea of there IDs. I believe it to be O. phaeacantha but uncertain of the variety. I consider it a nameless orphan needing a home. I have adopted a few over the years

Come spring we'll get together and teach those pesky squirrels a thing or two

I don't have a squirrel problem but the neighbors little mexican bug-eyed dog grawls at my cactus when it walks down the street

cactuspolecat · Post by **cactuspolecat** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:34 am

Hi Bill, indeed they are awesome spines, with spines like that andy could have squirrel kebabs, or even chihuahua and chilli kebabs sound good ...chili con chihuahua...

Nice opuntias mate!

CP

dimales · Post by **dimales** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:14 pm

Hi,
very nice opuntia, you grow them outside I ques?
What is the minimal temperature during the wintertime?..

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:18 pm

Hi Bill, great looking Opuntia. It does look like some kind of phaeacantha to me also.

Daiv raises an interesting question about plants pushing spines long after their initial development. There are some Opuntias that have the longest spines on the oldest areoles. Also, the bristly spines around the base of Thrixanthocereus blossfeldiorum, out of old areoles.

peterb

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:23 pm

dimales wrote:Hi,
very nice opuntia, you grow them outside I ques?
What is the minimal temperature during the wintertime?..

Hi Dimales,

Yes I grow my cacti outside in the ground. I'm kind of the oddball because I mainly grow cold hardy cacti. In the winter the temperature can get down to -10 degrees farenheit or 23.3 degrees celsius.

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:27 pm

cactuspolecat wrote:Hi Bill, indeed they are awesome spines, with spines like that andy could have squirrel kebabs, or even chihuahua and chilli kebabs sound good ...chili con chihuahua...

Nice opuntias mate!

CP

Don't sound to bad. Chili con chihuahua and some cold brews to wash it down.