Author Topic: Another prickly pear selection  (Read 32861 times)

simon_grow

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #75 on: November 12, 2014, 12:12:56 AM »
Thanks ricshaw and Nullzero. I still have two fruit of each selection left so shoot me a pm if you are interested in trying these. I saw on some earlier posts that the Brix is around 13 for some varieties but I don't think these would be sweet enough to satisfy many tasters palates. I'm hoping the remaining fruit will be similarly sweet but firmer.

The green skinned fruit from the farmers market is still way more sweet than these fruit. I'm eager to get a Brix reading of the green skinned fruit since I didn't have a refractometer back when they were in season.

Simon

nullzero

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #76 on: November 16, 2014, 07:20:54 PM »
Here are some pictures of a prickly pear I just ate today. It was picked on Friday, the last prickly pears holding on the plant. This prickly pear is collected from the foothills of the Santa Monica mountains, growing wild. It produced at least 12 prickly pears this season, it just started to produce fruit (so we will see how well it produces

Fruit is Medium Large, medium seed count of moderate hard seeds. Flavor excellent papaya honeydew melon taste. Texture of a ripe papaya (but with medium seeds close to guava size). I think the fruit has most potential as a smoothie type fruit (seeds. Not sure on production of plant yet.





Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

ricshaw

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #77 on: November 22, 2014, 11:55:24 PM »
The Wagon Wheel motel and restaurant was a famous Southern California office, motel and restaurant complex located at the intersection of Hwy 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway.
Its convenient roadside location made it a popular stop for travelers between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, during its heyday in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
It was demolished in 2011 due to pending development. A family apartment complex is the first new building on the site.
The apartments were first offered to the residents of the Wagon Wheel Trailer Lodge. The demolition of the trailer park was started in 2013.

http://youtu.be/UGVolu4BHb0

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #78 on: November 07, 2015, 12:09:59 PM »
Sad news, the mother plant was hacked up and almost completely removed. I drove by last two days back from work. The home owner nearby, decided to construct a new replacement fence and gate on the back of the property. Well this Opuntia sp. is intertwined with their fence and the common area. They ripped up the plant and removed majority of it, because it was in the way. However I did see a pile of detached pads near the area where the plant was rooted (I am sure it will reroot in the area again).

Luckily I was able to capture the pictures of the mature plants form and collect pads. This is not the first time I have ran into selecting these plants, then having them disappear. It feels good knowing you just secured the existence of a worthy selection.

I have Torrance PCH pads! On Hallowe'en afternoon I hiked up the slope with a hand pruner and tongs, and I took these cuttings. Should I leave that double pad as it is? Or should I separate them and have 4 plants? BTW if all of these root I am more than open to giving some of these away. I only want to keep two plants; the rest are for insurance :D:





The fruit twisted off pretty easily, but I haven't opened one yet. Maybe this afternoon:





After a week sitting inside, the ends look like this:





Does that look ready to plant? Water or no water?
Sunset 23/USDA 11a, Elev. 783', Frost free since 8,000 BC. Plagued by squirrels, gophers, and peafowl, but coming to terms with it!

simon_grow

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #79 on: November 07, 2015, 12:42:43 PM »
Congratulations on the pads, how did the Torrance PCH fruit taste? When I received my pad, the cut was dry and I immediately planted it into a pot and it is doing very well. If you want more plants, you can remove that attached pad, if you don't need any more plants, just leave it on.

Simon

gunnar429

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #80 on: November 07, 2015, 04:28:19 PM »
Sad news, the mother plant was hacked up and almost completely removed. I drove by last two days back from work. The home owner nearby, decided to construct a new replacement fence and gate on the back of the property. Well this Opuntia sp. is intertwined with their fence and the common area. They ripped up the plant and removed majority of it, because it was in the way. However I did see a pile of detached pads near the area where the plant was rooted (I am sure it will reroot in the area again).

Luckily I was able to capture the pictures of the mature plants form and collect pads. This is not the first time I have ran into selecting these plants, then having them disappear. It feels good knowing you just secured the existence of a worthy selection.

I have Torrance PCH pads! On Hallowe'en afternoon I hiked up the slope with a hand pruner and tongs, and I took these cuttings. Should I leave that double pad as it is? Or should I separate them and have 4 plants? BTW if all of these root I am more than open to giving some of these away. I only want to keep two plants; the rest are for insurance :D:





The fruit twisted off pretty easily, but I haven't opened one yet. Maybe this afternoon:





After a week sitting inside, the ends look like this:





Does that look ready to plant? Water or no water?

I would love to be on the waiting list.  Holler at me if they end up rooting.  Thanks!
~Jeff

"Say you just can't live that negative way, if you know what I mean. Make way for the positive day." - Positive Vibration

ricshaw

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #81 on: November 07, 2015, 06:07:06 PM »
After a week sitting inside, the ends look like this:



Does that look ready to plant? Water or no water?

Leave the double pad as is.

I would clean up the end and let dry out.

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #82 on: November 08, 2015, 12:13:25 AM »
Congratulations on the pads, how did the Torrance PCH fruit taste?


Good! We ate all three this evening. I've never eaten these before, so I didn't know what to expect.


I don't love them like I love mangos, but they're good, and definitely worth growing and serving.


There were notes of kiwi, papaya and watermelon, though the latter was faint, and possibly even induced by reading this thread :D
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starling2

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #83 on: November 08, 2015, 12:58:34 AM »
Nullzero is reliable, honest and great to trade with in my experience. He keeps his word, his material is well packaged and vital, and I would definitely recommend him.

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #84 on: May 12, 2016, 01:12:56 PM »
6 month update on my 3 cuttings:


Opuntia1 is doing great! It sat dormant for a few months, or maybe it was just getting stuff going underground, and then in March it starting pushing out new growth. Here it today (well, yesterday), with 4 beautiful new leaves/pads/thingies. The main pad and the pad with the little Velcro strap are the originals:





Opuntia2 looked like this in March:





and like this today:





Opuntia3 is to its left, and has not pushed out anything, though it also hasn't died, shriveled, or turned brown. Maybe it's just biding its time.


I had no idea these grew so fast! When will they plump up? When will they lose their spines? When do they fruit? The wild plants I see all over LA have green fruit on them already, so I'm assuming my plants have missed the window for this season. Do they often fruit in their second season?


Based on the vigor of plant #1, and the fact that I'm running out of pots, I will give away both #2 and #3 to anyone who wants to pick them up from my home in Palos Verdes (90274) or my office in Torrance (90502). 1 per person! I don't want to unpot them or ship them.


In exchange I ask only for a clay pot of similar or larger size. PM if you're interested!
Sunset 23/USDA 11a, Elev. 783', Frost free since 8,000 BC. Plagued by squirrels, gophers, and peafowl, but coming to terms with it!

nullzero

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #85 on: May 12, 2016, 01:51:39 PM »
Really nice, are all these Torrance PCH plants?
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #86 on: May 12, 2016, 05:32:51 PM »
Really nice, are all these Torrance PCH plants?


Yes! Thanks again for the pointer!
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gnappi

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #87 on: May 12, 2016, 07:48:09 PM »
I am collecting cuttings from local small older mature cactus, and once rooted they grow fast. I hope to have some flowering next year in 2017.

 I'm REAL tired of spending .75 to a dollar each on tuna.

Funny about flavor perception, I get strong watermelon flavor with a raspberry undertone... love them.

 
Regards,

   Gary

gnappi

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Everbearing cactus
« Reply #88 on: May 14, 2016, 05:43:13 PM »
Today I made my third trip to a gone wild cactus that is petite at around 2 ft tall, and seems to be everbearing.

Every time I saw it the plant was in every phase of fruiting... new closed flowers, open flowers, green, ripe and spoiled fruit on it.

Is this typical? Or should I be growing seeds and starting cuttings?
Regards,

   Gary

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #89 on: July 10, 2016, 11:25:13 PM »
6 month update on my 3 cuttings:

Opuntia1 is doing great!
Opuntia2 [is also growing well]:
Opuntia3 is to its left, and has not pushed out anything, though it also hasn't died, shriveled, or turned brown. Maybe it's just biding its time... .


I had no idea these grew so fast! When will they plump up? When will they lose their spines? When do they fruit? The wild plants I see all over LA have green fruit on them already, so I'm assuming my plants have missed the window for this season. Do they often fruit in their second season?


Based on the vigor of plant #1, and the fact that I'm running out of pots, I will give away both #2 and #3 to anyone who wants to pick them up from my home in Palos Verdes (90274) or my office in Torrance (90502). 1 per person! I don't want to unpot them or ship them.

In exchange I ask only for a clay pot of similar or larger size. PM if you're interested!


So Opuntia #3 also started growing! It grew a pair of Mickey Mouse ears, and it now on its way to being a reasonable plant.


#2 and #3 are still up for donation if anyone wants them.


In November I also cut some pads and fruit from another spineless Opuntia here in Palos Verdes. I never got a chance to taste the fruit, because guests were coming over so I hurriedly stuffed a whole bunch of stuff in a closet, including the Opuntia pads and fruit. 5 months later (no kidding!) I was looking in the closet and "found" my Opuntia. Both pads were very pale green, and one was quite shriveled, so I thought they were goners, but I put them in some dirt anyway.


Here's what the shriveled one looked like a few weeks ago:





It's pale and sickly looking, but it's alive! The other pad looks a tad better, and has just started pushing out new growth.


So it looks like these things are pretty unkillable!
Sunset 23/USDA 11a, Elev. 783', Frost free since 8,000 BC. Plagued by squirrels, gophers, and peafowl, but coming to terms with it!

akanonui

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #90 on: July 11, 2016, 12:40:03 AM »
I tried a lot of prickly pears in Peru, from yellow fruited to orange to deep purple. They sell them in the market for 3/1sol and they are delicious. There were some more bland than others but over all my favorite was the orange one. I  didn't catch the variety name of any of them other than tuna but they all grew at an elevation between 7,000 and 11,000 feet, so cool dry climate. I also have the wild midwest prickly pear growing in my garden along with some in the yard of my down the street neighbor, which have done well for a while now and are just this year flowering after 2 or 3 years from the first cutting. I personally find opuntia fruits to be refreshing but rather insipid. I have been reading about a few other cold hardy varieties from the northern southwest US as well as some edible cold hardy cholla cacti that I may buy if I have space.

raimeiken

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #91 on: September 15, 2018, 10:14:15 PM »
anyone familiar with these Luther Burbank spineless varieties? I'm looking for source of pads of these if anyone have any, let me know.

http://ucanr.edu/sites/NC-140_Annual_Meeting_2015/files/224508.pdf

TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #92 on: September 16, 2018, 12:11:44 PM »
Based on the vigor of plant #1, and the fact that I'm running out of pots, I will give away both #2 and #3 to anyone who wants to pick them up from my home in Palos Verdes (90274) or my office in Torrance (90502). 1 per person! I don't want to unpot them or ship them.In exchange I ask only for a clay pot of similar or larger size. PM if you're interested!
So Opuntia #3 also started growing! It grew a pair of Mickey Mouse ears, and it now on its way to being a reasonable plant.#2 and #3 are still up for donation if anyone wants them.In November I also cut some pads and fruit from another spineless Opuntia here in Palos Verdes. I never got a chance to taste the fruit, because guests were coming over so I hurriedly stuffed a whole bunch of stuff in a closet, including the Opuntia pads and fruit. 5 months later (no kidding!) I was looking in the closet and "found" my Opuntia. Both pads were very pale green, and one was quite shriveled, so I thought they were goners, but I put them in some dirt anyway.Here's what the shriveled one looked like a few weeks ago:It's pale and sickly looking, but it's alive! The other pad looks a tad better, and has just started pushing out new growth.So it looks like these things are pretty unkillable!

2 years hence I now have 4 robust Opuntia plants--two "Torrance PCH" and two of these other local plants that I'll call "PV Rhone," because that's where I cut them from.

But last week I found out that:

1) Spineless cacti aren’t.
2) Prickly pear isn’t a great pot cactus, because it’ll bust right out of your pots.
3) Repotting a cactus is not fun.
4) There’s a second one that needs repotting.


I still don't have any fruit yet, from any of my four plants. One of my PV Rhones set 3 fruit a few months ago, but the contractors rebuilding my fence knocked all of them off the plant when they moved the pot.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2018, 12:43:26 PM by TheWaterbug »
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TheWaterbug

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #93 on: September 16, 2018, 12:52:14 PM »
BTW, I can donate pads from either variety to anyone who can pick up from my home in Palos Verdes or from my office in Torrance. No shipping.


I just have to remember which one is which!
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ricshaw

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #94 on: September 16, 2018, 12:56:03 PM »
But last week I found out that:

1) Spineless cacti aren’t.
2) Prickly pear isn’t a great pot cactus, because it’ll bust right out of your pots.
3) Repotting a cactus is not fun.
4) There’s a second one that needs repotting.

Welcome to the club.

I have a collection of spineless Opuntia cactus.
i planted a selection of 11 on the steep hillside behind my house. For the curious, listed below:
The Opuntia planted on the hill, in general, are doing much better than the ones growing in pots.
Even with the drought, surviving the Thomas Fire, loss of drip irrigation, I am getting fruit.

“Andy” — pad collected from cactus growing over back fence at house next to Andrew’s Koi, Anaheim, CA.

“Petit Ave.” — from prickly pear cactus planted along the side of the road next to a citrus orchard, Ventura, CA.

“12th St.” — from a cactus growing behind the fence of a house on the shoulder of a rural road, Santa Paula, CA.

“PARL 244, Nopal de Castilla” — Collected in Mexico from two sites on an abandoned plot, 1/2 km behind the town of Malpa Alta, Mexico.

“PARL 246, Verdura” — Collected in Mexico by the Universidad Autonoma de Chapingo, Mexico.

“PARL 247, Amarilla” — Collected in Mexico by the Universidad Autonoma de Chapingo, Mexico.

“Wagon Wheel” — collected from old, large cactus at old abandoned trailer and mobile home park, Oxnard, CA.

“PCH” — called Torrance PCH#1, from cactus growing over back fence at house next to PCH, Torrance, CA.

“Santa Ynez” — pad donated by CRFG member, original cactus may be from Rivenrock Cactus Nursery, Nipomo, CA who says original cuttings from a Navajo family whose ancestors had bred it over a couple centuries.

“O. ficus indica Peru” — Peruvian Opuntia ficus-indica from Florida cactus collector.

“O. ficus indica Nipas, Chile” — Nipas Chile Opuntia ficus-indica from Florida cactus collector.

raimeiken

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #95 on: September 16, 2018, 06:26:00 PM »
How are the fruit on those selection? What are the best? Any seedless or little seeds? Size?

ricshaw

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #96 on: September 16, 2018, 07:22:58 PM »
How are the fruit on those selection? What are the best? Any seedless or little seeds? Size?

I recently moved back into my house after being gone for 9 months.

Too early for the data you want.  I am still in the documenting the color of flower and color of the fruit stage.
 
« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 12:15:47 AM by ricshaw »

Mark Miner

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #97 on: October 14, 2019, 03:14:45 AM »
Hi all,
Wonderful thread with lots of information on fruiting opuntias.
Like Nullzero, I'm inspired to collect germplasm and maybe do a little breeding.
I help out with a community garden by SDSU.
I have most of the fruiting selections released by Rolling River Nursery, and am interested to experiment with O. aciculata, which is said (YT: Weird Fruit Explorer #233, Foraged Cactus Fruits, Fruit #3) to have a flavor profile of "Blackberries-cherries-pears-cotton candy." (!!)
I also have most of the Walk in Beauty hybrids released by Cold Hardy Cactus nursery. Flowering opuntias with fabulous colors and multiple bloom flushes per year. (!)
Love to trade pads and host tastings once I get my plants to fruiting size.
I'll be hosting a fairly massive fruit-tasting -- GRAPES!-- in mid-August, as I have 20 NEW vines coming into bearing, heirlooms, new releases from USA breeding programs, new vines from other countries via UC Davis.   A lotta stuff you've never even heard off, much less tasted, unless you're a fellow grape-maniac.

DEFINITELY want to acquire all "top-tier" opuntias mentioned in this thread!

---Mark Miner

Francis_Eric

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #98 on: October 14, 2019, 02:18:19 PM »
(DISCLAIMER) I know Nothing of Optunia Cultivars Only wht I ate at the Grocery store.

I found a very sweet one In Memphis At a Mexican Resturant
Very Soft, and gooey.

I was traveling through Memphis On my way To New orleans,
 and a mexican resturant Had one Out side in a outside Planter

maybe the owners Selected It I am not sure

I was Full of typical garbage though Bottles wrappers etc So I'm not certain
I did get a grocery bag full.

What time do these Fruit ?  I  tried Email (megabus Recite isn't there)

By the way We Have to Native ones In IL.
Eastern Prickly pear
Opuntia humifusa
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/prickly_pearx.htm

Brittle Prickly Pear
Opuntia fragilis

https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/br_prpear.html
Opuntia fragilis

Francis_Eric

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Re: Another prickly pear selection
« Reply #99 on: October 14, 2019, 02:20:22 PM »
I mean do you know if these fruit the same In Memphis as they do In California
The ones in NOLA didn't taste as good on the ground.

(edit)
I'd Go and pick some stalks
(?n ot to sound to sweet I'd want some from t hat bush myself anyways)

If you'd want to see what happens with em

Not sure anytime soon as it is persimmon season, and trying to find my own varieties (of those in the wild)
but have a week off work every other week.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2019, 02:24:49 PM by Francis_Eric »