Opuntia microdasys ‘Caress’ | Spineless Mickey Mouse Cactus
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
The mutant of the group: SPINELSS. This is a clone of one of the world's most recognizable Opuntia: its small, rounded, oval pads overlap to form a structure reminiscent of rabbit ears. The cladodes are flat, bright green, pubescent, and typically devoid of true spines. What looks like delicate fuzz is formed by dense clusters of glochids, tiny structures equipped with microscopic barbed bristles that detach easily upon contact. The pads usually measure between 5 and 15 cm, and the plant can form dense shrubs up to approximately 1 m in height.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It belongs to the Cactaceae family and is native to Mexico, primarily from the northern and central regions of the country, where it inhabits arid areas and dry scrublands, frequently at altitudes between 1,700 and 2,100 m. It is currently also naturalized in various locations outside its original range.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 8b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −9.4 ºC, especially when it is completely dry and acclimated. Its resistance increases considerably when low temperatures occur during a dry period; the combination of intense cold and persistent humidity is much more dangerous. Some cultivation references place specimens of this species around −10 °C in dry soil.
☀️ Lighting
It requires full sun to keep the cladodes compact, promote balanced branching, and stimulate flowering. During active growth, a target of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR is appropriate. Specimens grown in low light develop weaker segments and a less compact structure.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy. Growth mainly occurs from spring to the end of summer, with greater activity when temperatures are warm and lighting is good. During the active period, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry completely before watering again. In autumn, watering should be progressively spaced out, and during winter, it should be kept practically dry, especially when temperatures are low.
🌸 Flowering
The flowers appear mainly in spring and early summer, developing on the edges of the cladodes. They are luminous yellow, about 2.5–4 cm in diameter, and can acquire peach tones as they age. After flowering, fleshy red to purple fruits may develop. In Madrid, with sufficient sunlight and a mature plant, flowering can occur mainly between April and June.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low levels of nitrogen is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactáceas, 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 and biofungicides.
9x9 cm pot
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The plant's measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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