Opuntia tuna | Prickly pear cactus
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
A shrubby, highly branched cactus that can reach about 1 m in height. It develops numerous flat, obovate to oblong cladodes (pads), generally 8–10 cm long, although some can reach about 16 cm. They are light green and have a relatively smooth surface.
The areoles are numerous and regularly distributed over the cladodes. They have yellowish glochids and can develop 2–6 spines, generally pale yellow and slightly divergent. As in the Opuntieae tribe, the small leaf primordia that appear on the cladodes are deciduous.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Its native range includes Mexico and southern Jamaica, where it grows mainly in seasonally dry tropical environments. It is currently also naturalized or introduced in numerous tropical and subtropical regions.
It belongs to the Cactaceae family, Opuntioideae subfamily and Opuntieae tribe. Historically, it has been related to other closely related taxa and appears in literature under names such as Cactus tuna, its basionym, and Opuntia dillenii.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9a–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −6 ºC in dry, well-acclimated specimens. As a species of seasonally dry tropical origin, its cold resistance is lower than that of many Opuntias from cold, continental zones. Substrate moisture should be avoided during episodes of low temperatures.
☀️ Lighting
It requires very intense light and grows best with several hours of direct sun. High exposure favors the formation of compact cladodes, more developed spination, and abundant flowering.
During active growth, a DLI PAR of 20–30 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended as a reference.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. During the cold months, watering is progressively reduced until the plant is kept practically dry. Cold combined with prolonged moisture can lead to root problems.
Active growth begins with rising temperatures in spring. During spring and summer, abundant watering is recommended, allowing the substrate to dry completely before the next application. During periods of intense heat, its activity may temporarily decrease, so watering frequency should be adjusted to the actual drying speed of the substrate. In late summer and throughout autumn, watering is progressively reduced until winter dormancy is reached.
🌸 Flowering
It produces large, striking flowers, up to approximately 5 cm in diameter, generally bright yellow, with reddish hues that may appear towards the center of the flower. They develop on the upper margins of mature cladodes.
After flowering, it can produce fleshy, ovoid fruits, which turn reddish upon ripening and can reach about 3 cm in diameter.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with high content of 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 high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:
S -> 9cm x 9cm
M-> 14cm x 14 cm
L->16cm x 16 cm
* 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 of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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