|
Cylindropuntia
subulata forma cristata
This plant is a traffic stopper. A vegetal monument that
produces huge undulant whorls and fans with pronounced sculpture
effects.
|
|
|
 |
Description: Opuntia
subulata is native to high elevations in Ecuador and Peru and
forms an arborescent, branching specimen with time. This is a cristate
form, producing very wide undulant fans topped with combs of long
emerald green succulent leaves with white areoles, and few (but fierce)
white spines. The cells at the tip of the branch where growth occurs
begin to multiply at a much faster rate and the normal growing tip "goes
crazy", creating fantastic whorls and fans with pronounced sculpture
effects.
The crested branches slowly form delightful, snaky
,ridged or crowded
hemispherical clusters. The plant often
grows a fast growing cylindrical stem to
reveal its origins.
|
|
Culture: They are semi-hardy.
Make sure your
Opuntia subulata is not exposed to temperatures below -4°C or
it may die. Nevertheless it is a good advice never let the night-time
temperature fall below 0°C. Water regularly in summer, but allow to dry
fully before watering again. It needs a well-drained soil mix, with small
gravel added to ensure drainage.. During the winter months
it should
be rather kept dry, and water is restricted to only enough to keep the
stems and branches from shrivelling. Since these are big sized plants,
and they
need plenty of space for their roots, repotting should be done every
other year, or when the plant has outgrown its pot.
Propagation: Cuttings in summer (Cuttings will
root only in hot weather)
|
|
|
Family:
Cactaceae (Cactus
Family) |
|
Scientific name: Austrocylindropuntia
subulata (Muehlenpfordt) Backeberg 1941
forma cristata
Origin:
Garden origin (Nursery
produced cultivar)
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
|
Synonyms:
- Pereskia subulata Muehlenpfordt 1845
- Opuntia subulata (Muehlenpfordt) Engelmann 1883
- Cylindropuntia subulata (Muehlenpfordt) Backeberg
1936
- Maihuenopsis subulata (Muehlenpfordt) R. Kiesling
1998
- Opuntia exaltata A. Berger 1912
- Cylindropuntia exaltata (A. Berger) Backeberg 1936
- Austrocylindropuntia exaltata (A. Berger) Backeberg
1938
- Maihuenopsis exaltata (A. Berger) R. Kiesling 1998
|
|
During the growing season the
crests are topped with combs of long emerald green succulent leaves. |
|
Needs high light levels and
adequate moisture (but with good air movement to prevent rot) to thrive,
|
|
Cultivation
and Mail Sale 
