Opuntia 'Titania' | Titania prickly pear, spineless cactus
€79,50
🌱 Morphology
An Opuntia that seems to have completely forgotten its family's weaponry: large, fleshy pads that are smooth and completely devoid of spines and glochids. ‘Titania’ develops a vigorous, upright habit, forming a large, tree-like structure over time. The cladodes are oval to elongated, green to bluish-green in color, and can reach extraordinary dimensions.
It is a historic cultivar by Luther Burbank, selected at the beginning of the 20th century from his famous spineless Opuntias. Period documentation describes exceptionally large cladodes, reaching over 1 m in length in certain specimens. The material grown at Desert CITY stands out for its completely spineless nature.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Family Cactaceae, subfamily Opuntioideae. It does not have its own natural distribution, as it is a horticultural cultivar. ‘Titania’ was developed by the American horticulturist Luther Burbank, with selection documented between 1911 and 1912 for the development of prickly pears intended for livestock feed.
Its exact lineage remains unresolved. A relationship with ‘Anacantha’, one of Burbank's spineless forms derived from materials related to Opuntia ficus-indica, has been proposed, and the possibility of hybridization with another species has also been suggested. Therefore, although it is commercially attributed to O. ficus-indica and some sources present it as a hybrid with O. tuna, there is not enough evidence to confirm its specific progenitors with certainty.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −7 ºC in dry conditions and with perfectly drained substrate. Specialized catalogs place ‘Titania’ around −7 ºC, although actual resistance decreases when frosts coincide with persistent humidity.
☀️ Lighting
Full sun. During active growth, high light availability is recommended, with a target of approximately 18–25 mol/m²/day DLI PAR. Intense light promotes compact cladode growth and better tissue maturation.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
Winter dormancy. During the vegetative period, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In winter, with low temperatures, watering must be drastically reduced, keeping the plant practically dry. Rapid drainage is especially important to avoid damage from simultaneous cold and humidity.
🌸 Flowering
It can produce yellow flowers, generally during the spring and early summer. In Madrid, flowering can be expected approximately between May and June. Historic specimens attributed to ‘Titania’ have also produced edible orange fruits, but they are not as tasty as true prickly pears.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a specific fertilizer for cacti with high levels of potassium and bioavailable calcium, 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 technical square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
30x30 cm black pot and larger
* Since 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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