€10,60

🌱 Morphology
A small fortress lying on the ground. Its flattened, green, oval-to-circular segments are arranged to form low, sprawling mats, typically only 10–25 cm tall. The areoles are provided with glochids and numerous spines, which can be straight, curved, or flexuous and vary from yellowish and brown to grayish tones. Some reach several centimeters in length and project in different directions, giving the plant an especially armored appearance. The segments remain firmly attached, a characteristic that helps distinguish it from other Opuntia with easily detached segments.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It belongs to the Cactaceae family and has one of the northernmost distribution ranges among cacti. It extends from Alberta and Saskatchewan, in Canada, through much of the western and central United States down to Texas and New Mexico. It inhabits prairies, steppes, cold deserts, and open pine and juniper forests on clay, sandy, or stony terrain, from about 500 to approximately 2,800 m in altitude.

❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 3a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of up to −40 ºC in certain populations and when cultivation conditions allow for adequate winter dehydration. It is one of the most cold-hardy Opuntia, capable of surviving extremely harsh winters in the north of its natural range. The specific resistance can vary depending on the plant's origin and the clone.

☀️ Lighting
It needs full sun to keep the segments compact and promote abundant flowering. During active growth, a target of 18–25 mol/m²/day of DLI PAR is recommended. Insufficient lighting can lead to weaker segments and significantly reduce flowering.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During winter, the segments may dehydrate, wrinkle, and take on a flaccid appearance: this is a normal adaptation to low temperatures and winter drought, not a sign of lack of water. With the arrival of spring, they progressively regain their turgidity and growth begins. During the active period, heavy watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. From autumn onwards, watering should be spaced out, and during winter it should be kept dry or receive only exceptional watering during prolonged periods of mild temperatures.

🌸 Flowering
Flowering occurs in late spring and early summer, mainly between May and July. The flowers measure approximately 2.5–4 cm and can be yellow, magenta, or reddish, with different colors even appearing within the same population. The filaments can also present white, yellow, red, or magenta tones, while the anthers are yellow and the stigma lobes are green. After flowering, it develops dry, cylindrical fruits provided with spiny areoles.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high levels of potassium and bioavailable calcium 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 technical square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

9x9 cm pot

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