€47,70

🌱 Morphology
Shrubby Opuntia that can reach approximately 4 m in height, with a trunk that becomes woody with age and numerous branches. The cladodes are flattened, obovate to elliptical, and green to grayish-green in color. Its most distinctive feature is the areoles densely covered with long, fine, silky trichomes—white, yellowish, or slightly golden—reminiscent of a small mane. Both the quantity and length of these hairs are variable. The areoles may also present glochids and spines, whose abundance and size vary considerably even within the same plant.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Species endemic to Mexico, distributed mainly throughout Oaxaca, Puebla, and Tlaxcala. It grows in xeric scrublands, frequently on limestone terrain, at approximately 900 to 1,800 m in altitude. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, subfamily Opuntioideae, tribe Opuntieae. It is currently recognized as an independent species; Opuntia pilifera var. aurantiisaeta is considered a synonym.

❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a–11b
It is a species of dry mountain environments and tolerates cool temperatures when completely dry and well-acclimated. In cultivation, it is advisable to protect it from intense frost and, above all, from the combination of low temperatures and root moisture.

☀️ Lighting
It requires direct sun and high light intensity to maintain compact growth and favor the development of the characteristic hairiness of the areoles. As a general guideline during active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter rest. During the cold months, watering must be significantly reduced and the substrate kept dry when temperatures are low. As temperature and solar radiation increase, watering is resumed progressively, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings. During active growth, it tolerates abundant watering provided that drainage is fast and efficient.

🌸 Flowering
It blooms mainly between March and July, producing flowers whose tepals can evolve from pinkish tones to red and purple. The hairiness is not limited to the cladodes: it can also appear on the pericarpel areoles, making the buds and fruits especially attractive.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and low levels of nitrogen, such as Desert CHOICE® Cactaceae, is recommended, applied once a month when watering. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

📏 Gourmet xerophyte in a 17x17x28 cm pot

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen 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 Desert CITY plant has unique characteristics.

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