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Since
about 20 years I use grafting methods to accelerate the growth of my
cacti as well to preserve them from low temperature reached
in my non-heated greenhouse, mainly for Brazilian and Caribbean
species. This method allows me to cultivate big exemplaries of
Pilosocereus, Melocactus, Leptocereus,
etc, in this greenhouse where the temperature lowers until -2 or –
3°C in the winter. My preferred grafting stock is Opuntia
bergeriana which has been used earlier by Italian growers
and also in the French Riviera nurseries. However for some species I
use Myrtillocactus geometrizans or Trichocereus
pachanoi. For Tephrocactus and related plants
I also use Cylindopuntia subulata as stock. As
concerns 1 week to one month old seedlings, Pereskiopsis
sp or Selenicereus grandiflorus are
preferred.
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Graftings on O. bergeriana is very successful
with following genus (I’ve check all these species): Cereus,
Pilosocereus, Cleistocactus, Denmoza
(see picture of a 40 years Denmoza erythrocephala),
Opuntias ( yes, I also grafted some Opuntia sp on
bergeriana!) Copiapoa (very strong growing),
Eriosyce, Melocactus, Parodia
(particularly Notocactus ( see the picture of a 15
years old Notocactus magnificus), Pediocactus,
Sclerocactus, Tephrocactus, Tacinga
and even the are Dendrocereus ..etc.
Conversely the
grafting of Mammillaria sp. is useless with O.
bergeriana, I have tempted many times without success and
now I’m interested by your experience with O. compressa
which gives spectacular results with
M. luethyi.
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France
~ Nice
