Pandanus and Opuntias anyone?

T

The Silent Seed

Active Member
51
18/08/11
0
26
MA, 5B
These are two of my more recent "addictions" - and am slowly building on my collections of these two genera - is there anyone else out there who enjoys these plants? (Not to mention, I'm always looking for ones I don't have yet, if you have any leads.)
I must say, I am very impressed at the very rapid growth of my P. tectorius and P. utilis plants that I got from Floribunda. They have basically tripled or quadrupled in size, in a few short months.
As for the Opuntias, I've always had a few around, but my addiction was ignited when somebody traded me some Opuntia corallicola, which got my blood flowing. They are also growing very fast. One has a new 8 inch pad, in only 2 months.
 
Nothing special. The botanical gardens amend with gravels,but there some huge Opuntia's growing in plain soil all over the bay area. Lots of light is the only other need. They wont do well in even part shade.
Pandanus are good indoor plants suprisingly. I had the variegated form who's name I cant recall. Smaller then P.utilis,and did ok indoors. Died when I tried to over winter it in of all years,2007. A cold winter.
Frying pan.testing. huh- no panda bear when you edit.
 
I just rescued an Opuntia santa-rita.......

Before
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After
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Cactus, in MASSACHUSETTS? I figured that it would be too cold to grow it there, I figured that they would freeze solid. Anyways, there are few wild ones near my house, where I live, Prickly Pear cacti, that is. I had a wild seedling, about three inches tall. I dug it out and re-planted it, and it got up to about 3 feet tall. I had hope for fruit for the future. THEN, THE CACTOBLASTIS MOTH ATTACKED. Prickly Pear was introduced to Hawaii in the early 1800s, and then it took off, became a pest and ruined the grasslands for cattle. So the state introduced Cactoblastis moths, which are native to Argentina, and the Cactoblastis has wiped out 90% of the wild Prickly Pears. I guess they had to do it. But I was so disappointed when I saw my cactus plants full of weeping holes, and rotting away. So I pulled it up and burned it, but I saved two pads and planted them. They both rooted. They are doing fine. But I gotta be careful now, and keep an eye out for the Cactoblastis eggs. I think Cactoblastis is in Florida now, and advancing, but I don't know if they attack any other opuntias than Prickly Pear.
 
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