Opuntia basilaris var. longibracteata | Beavertail Cactus
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
An Opuntia with a clean, elegant appearance, formed by flattened segments that resemble a beaver's tail. The cladodes or pads are fleshy, oval to obovate, grayish-green to bluish in color, and relatively smooth, with areoles distributed regularly. As in other Opuntia, the areoles may feature glochids and spines, although the overall appearance of this form is much softer than that of heavily spined Opuntias. It forms low, spreading mats through the articulation of its cladodes.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It belongs to the Cactaceae family and is related to Opuntia basilaris, a species native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, especially in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, as well as Baja California and Sonora. It inhabits deserts and dry scrublands, where it grows on stony, well-draining terrain, enduring high temperatures and long periods of drought.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 8a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −12 ºC when kept completely dry and well-acclimated. Its cold resistance is closely related to the water content of its tissues: intense cold on a dry plant is much less dangerous than a combination of frost and persistent humidity. Desert CITY's cultivation experience places this form at around −12 ºC when dry.
☀️ Lighting
It requires full sun to keep the cladodes compact, develop a balanced structure, and encourage flowering. During active growth, it is recommended to reach approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR. Intense sun exposure is especially important after winter, when direct exposure should be restored gradually if the specimen has been protected.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. Growth is concentrated mainly from spring to summer. During this period, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. From autumn onwards, watering should be spaced out gradually, and it must be kept virtually dry during the winter, especially when temperatures are low. Alternating between a deep watering and complete drying replicates its habitat conditions much better than small, frequent waterings.
🌸 Flowering
It flowers mainly during the spring and early summer, with a flowering period that in Madrid can occur approximately between May and June. The flowers of Opuntia basilaris are large in relation to the cladodes and usually feature pink, magenta, or reddish tones, although there is color variation within the species. Fleshy fruits may develop after flowering.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high assimilable calcium and low nitrogen levels, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Floración.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
S -> 9cm x 9cm
M-> 14cm x 14 cm
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this can also vary slightly because it is a living being! Each Desert CITY plant has unique characteristics.
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