Training Opuntia?

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Wollemi25
Sprout
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2011 3:51 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Training Opuntia?

Post by Wollemi25 » Wed May 18, 2011 11:29 pm

Can you train an opuntia to grow up instead of sideways?



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TimMAz6
Palm Grove
Posts: 2789
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2010 2:15 am
Location: Massachusetts USDA 6b

Post by TimMAz6 » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:56 am

you may be able to get some additional height but come winter they deflate. Some forms are better than others. Try O. strigil or some of the hardy O. engelmannii/phaeacantha types.

This one got pretty tall here in Massachusetts.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 0633-2.jpg>
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/MA/Seeko ... igwx"><img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... eekonk.gif" alt="Click for Seekonk, Massachusetts Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

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Paul Ont
Large Palm
Posts: 1384
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:58 am
Location: zone 6a Downtown Toronto and zone 5a Kingston

Post by Paul Ont » Sun Jun 12, 2011 6:26 am

Hey- If you're in Victoria you should have no problem (given excellent drainage) growing some of the zone 8 Opuntias that can become trees... You might have some trouble with plants toppling due to the lower light levels, but that would take years! I'd look into the plants that Tim suggests as well as things like O. chlorotica: http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/ ... ypear.html (the form I have comes from an area that has historic lows in the -20F range, I've been too wimpy to try it outside!).

Do you have a 100% sunny spot (6-8 hours + of sun/day)? I'd probably be able to send you some cuttings to try. Tender, half hardy, hardy... The problem for you will not be cold but moisture!

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