Nopal Cactus - Prickly Pear Cactus

Scientific name: Nopalea cochenillifera

Popular names: Prickly Pear, Urumbeta, Cactus, Cactus-of-cochineal, Cactus-without-thorns, thistle-of-cochineal, Nopal, Palma-de-fattening, sweet Palma, Palma-forage, Palm-girl, Paddling sweet

Family: Cactaceae

Category: Shrubs , Cacti and Succulents

Climate: Equatorial , Mediterranean , semi-arid , subtropical , Tropical

Source: North America , Mexico

Height: 0.9 to 1.2 meters , 1.2 to 1.8 meters , 1.8 to 2.4 meters , 2.4 meters to 3.0 , 3.0 to 3.6 meters , 3.6 to 4.7 meters

Brightness: Shadow Half , Full Sun

Life Cycle: Perennial

The Nopal Cactus - Prickly Pear Cactus is a dryland plant, that is well adapted to dry weather, as many cacti. Its stem is cylindrical and the branches are flattened, fleshy and oval articlesfittings, popularly known as "Prickly Pear" and scientifically as "Opuntia ficus-indica". This is articlesfittings which are responsible for plant photosynthesis, because the leaves are reduced to small and sparse spines absent in some varieties.

This adjustment reduces transpiration, which can withstand the lack of water longer. Its flowers appear throughout the year, but mainly from September to March, and are firm, orange color, pink or red and with numerous stamens, pink, very long.

The Nopal Cactus - Prickly Pear Cactus is a rustic plant, suitable for planting isolated or in groups, as well as in rows, making it a very defensive hedge when used specimens with thorns. Its beauty and uniqueness is evident in rock gardens. Also can be planted in large pots with the substrate covered with gravel.

Curiosity: Young articlesfittings and the fruits are marketed and consumed as a vegetable in Central America. The urumbeta is also used as food for the growth and reproduction of mealybugs suppliers of valuable red industrial dye and is also recognized as an important forage value in ruminant feeding in arid and semi-arid climates.

Should be grown in full sun or partial shade in fertile soil and very well drainable, preferably sandy. The urumbeta is tolerant to drought and low soil fertility, but thrives best and has the fastest growth when fertilized and irrigated at periodic intervals. Multiplied by cuttings of articles search and seeds.

Source : wikipedia