Consortium of Cacti and all things spiny! - thread for Cacti lovers

[SDPirate]

The weather where I am at has been more gray than I can remember.  We have had like 5 minutes of sun these past 2 months and some of my dragonfruit blooms are aborting.

[Tortuga]

My favorite cactus is my Peruvian apple cactus that I took a 1 foot cutting out of someones garbage in the tampa area while I was visiting. In one years time, it is over 6 feet and with many offshoots. Im hoping for some fruits this year

[Pandan]

Anyone else here grow trichocereus cacti? I do but I've never had any fruit, ive read some are tastier than others.

[SDPirate]

Anyone else here grow trichocereus cacti? I do but I've never had any fruit, ive read some are tastier than others.

I have heard of them and seen people growing them but know very little.  Same with Pachycereus genus, I see people growing them but no idea on fruit taste.  I was wondering if anyone is growing out Arrojadoa genus?  I found a seller for Arrojadoa rhodantha seeds and may want to give it a go.

[Kevinthegarden]

I have a couple trichocereus growing but haven't tried the fruit.
I've also had a couple opuntia fruit but they weren't great.

[Gulfgardener]

I just started growing Trichocereus. I have a bridgesii and a couple pachs.  I don't think the bridgesii is a fan of humidity. It gets black spots sometimes.

Here is an older thread talking about the fruit: https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=15786.0#:~:text=Trichocereus%20sp.,most%20cactus%20fruit%20is%20edible.

[Pandan]

Do you all have named or particular cultivars?

Thanks for the post @gulfgardener one of the users actually has some cacti I want

[Gulfgardener]

Some named / some PC.  I just started collecting this year so they are just now taking off due to the heat.

This place has some cool cuts and seedlings. https://www.takaracactus.com/shop

[Kevinthegarden]

I have quite a few named, was big into collecting them. I forgot that I also have a mrytillo cactus in the back there that makes blueberry like fruit. Taste like raisins when dried.

[driftwood]

there is large variability in cacti fruit. I have had absolutely incredible opuntia fruits from SD that were good on their own, out of hand. Orange and yellow are the best. Growing these in my yard as well as growing a bunch of the stenocereus. Hedgehog cacti have pretty tasty fruit. hard to beat the birds. Same with saguaro fruits, they are supposed to be good but hard to harvest/beat the birds. They only taste good when optimally ripe but birds are pecking at first signs of red on the fruit. Stenocereus fruits are protected by spines unlike saguaros

[pg]

Which varieties of prickly pear have the best tasting fruit? I've got a generic 'Opuntia Ficus Indica' from the big box store, but I'd like to also grow some higher quality named varieties, especially after reading on this forum that some of them can have banana or berry flavors. All of them that I've eaten so far (found wild in Texas or bought at Mexican grocers, they were all the common red-purple skin variety), just had a somewhat sweet, refreshing light melon flavor.
I've seen Fruitwood Nursery has a large selection, but they don't all have descriptions and the descriptions really don't give you much to go by, and I don't want to inadvertently get several that are extremely similar.
Many of their selections are part of the desert series, would those be likely to do well in southern Alabama, where's it's generally hot and humid, or are they more suited to arid regions?
Are there other vendors that carry particularly good varieties?

[tru]

Which varieties of prickly pear have the best tasting fruit? I've got a generic 'Opuntia Ficus Indica' from the big box store, but I'd like to also grow some higher quality named varieties, especially after reading on this forum that some of them can have banana or berry flavors. All of them that I've eaten so far (found wild in Texas or bought at Mexican grocers, they were all the common red-purple skin variety), just had a somewhat sweet, refreshing light melon flavor.
I've seen Fruitwood Nursery has a large selection, but they don't all have descriptions and the descriptions really don't give you much to go by, and I don't want to inadvertently get several that are extremely similar.
Many of their selections are part of the desert series, would those be likely to do well in southern Alabama, where's it's generally hot and humid, or are they more suited to arid regions?
Are there other vendors that carry particularly good varieties?

They do incredibly where I'm at in north tx, We use them as plants to put in the road median.

Permanently stuck in the 55-75% humidity range, and takes full texas sun like a champ. They'd probably grow even better with lower humidity but they don't seem to mind, we get some decent freezes too and they're never fazed

I think forum user Bush2Beach has some high quality cultivars, see if they got anything for sale!

[CeeJey]

Which varieties of prickly pear have the best tasting fruit? I've got a generic 'Opuntia Ficus Indica' from the big box store, but I'd like to also grow some higher quality named varieties, especially after reading on this forum that some of them can have banana or berry flavors. All of them that I've eaten so far (found wild in Texas or bought at Mexican grocers, they were all the common red-purple skin variety), just had a somewhat sweet, refreshing light melon flavor.
I've seen Fruitwood Nursery has a large selection, but they don't all have descriptions and the descriptions really don't give you much to go by, and I don't want to inadvertently get several that are extremely similar.
Many of their selections are part of the desert series, would those be likely to do well in southern Alabama, where's it's generally hot and humid, or are they more suited to arid regions?
Are there other vendors that carry particularly good varieties?

Re humidity: They grow all over florida apparently (https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Genus.aspx?id=868), so they should manage Alabama. Keep them in the sunniest part of the yard and they should do fine. Shade can cause them to get catch bad fungal issues even out here in the desert, and also stunts their growth and fruit production. They want full sun all day every day.

Aside from the forum users here who periodically offer pads of various varieties, if you want better descriptions than Fruitwood, check out Planting Justice's selection: https://plantingjustice.org/product-category/cacti-and-succulents/prickly-pear-opuntia-species/ They periodically carry ones that have been selected as part of targeted breeding programs so are more likely not to taste like slightly dusty melons.

Most of the "wild" ones you've eaten or gotten from the store if they were red were probably Burbank Spineless, fwiw. That one went feral after cattle ranchers planted it all over Texas and north Mexico for cattle feed back in the day.

Although sometimes the store has weird stuff. Our local international grocer had some DARK purple ones recently from Mexico that tasted like beets. Not exactly most people's idea of a good time but it sure was interesting.

[driftwood]

Which varieties of prickly pear have the best tasting fruit? I've got a generic 'Opuntia Ficus Indica' from the big box store, but I'd like to also grow some higher quality named varieties, especially after reading on this forum that some of them can have banana or berry flavors. All of them that I've eaten so far (found wild in Texas or bought at Mexican grocers, they were all the common red-purple skin variety), just had a somewhat sweet, refreshing light melon flavor.
I've seen Fruitwood Nursery has a large selection, but they don't all have descriptions and the descriptions really don't give you much to go by, and I don't want to inadvertently get several that are extremely similar.
Many of their selections are part of the desert series, would those be likely to do well in southern Alabama, where's it's generally hot and humid, or are they more suited to arid regions?
Are there other vendors that carry particularly good varieties?

Re humidity: They grow all over florida apparently (https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Genus.aspx?id=868), so they should manage Alabama. Keep them in the sunniest part of the yard and they should do fine. Shade can cause them to get catch bad fungal issues even out here in the desert, and also stunts their growth and fruit production. They want full sun all day every day.

Aside from the forum users here who periodically offer pads of various varieties, if you want better descriptions than Fruitwood, check out Planting Justice's selection: https://plantingjustice.org/product-category/cacti-and-succulents/prickly-pear-opuntia-species/ They periodically carry ones that have been selected as part of targeted breeding programs so are more likely not to taste like slightly dusty melons.

Most of the "wild" ones you've eaten or gotten from the store if they were red were probably Burbank Spineless, fwiw. That one went feral after cattle ranchers planted it all over Texas and north Mexico for cattle feed back in the day.

Although sometimes the store has weird stuff. Our local international grocer had some DARK purple ones recently from Mexico that tasted like beets. Not exactly most people's idea of a good time but it sure was interesting.

ohhhh thanks for that site ceejay, I will have to add more to my 5 varieties. I'm growing PCH as well as some others from SD County California. Where in phx are you?

as far as opuntia growing, it's a very vigorous plant, likes ample water and very frost tolerant. just have to watch for pests/fungal issues

[SDPirate]

Having some trouble trying to get these Arrojadoa rhodantha seeds germinated, if anyone has experience with this one or genus let me know.

Also wanted to give a little mention for some great cacti vendors on etsy, check out ArizonaCactusGrowers for a good variety of some cool cacti (hardy options as well).  Migstwigs is great too for any Stenocereus needs.  Not associated with these people at all just good experiences.  Hope all is well with your cacti growing efforts, less is more with these babies!

[Tropheus76]

My favorite cactus is my Peruvian apple cactus that I took a 1 foot cutting out of someones garbage in the tampa area while I was visiting. In one years time, it is over 6 feet and with many offshoots. Im hoping for some fruits this year

I have one in a pot that is about 2' tall. I have had it since last fall and it hasnt grown at all. It does have a single what I think will be a bloom on it. I am clearing a bit of a glade in my new property and am planning on putting it there in ground over the winter when I can get some heavy work done in more than 15 minute efforts due to the heat.

[K-Rimes]

Dragonfruits have REALLY put on some size this year. Asunta is mind blowing with all the blossoms. It is normal for my DF to get super yellow in the high 90-100f weather, which has been punishingly consistent for weeks. I will get some photos of my other fruiting cacti soon, I see my blueberry cactus is about to flower but it's so deeply hidden in golden rod flowers that you can't see it.

[SDPirate]

Looking great K-Rimes.  My most mature DF aborted all its flowers but no worries, it is only about 4 or 5 feet tall.  I can wait until next year no problem.  I have a couple totally unproductive plum trees that stand about 9 feet, think I may just use them as a natural trellis eventually.

Opuntia are rooted well and growing new pads:





Also my baby Stenocereus Thurberi and Stenocereus Montanus seedlings finally got little spines versus looking like alien sprouts, about 3 to 4 months in at this point:

[K-Rimes]

I have a couple totally unproductive plum trees that stand about 9 feet

Stump them and graft the shoots. Plum trees that big should be huge producers and you can put any stone fruit you want on 'em

[Jaboticaba45]

Anyone here taste saguaro fruits?

[K-Rimes]

A sad looking PCH 1 Opuntia. I pulled it out of a potted jabo in my greenhouse and it did NOT like the exposure to full sun all of a sudden.


I actually just hurled these dragonfruit cuttings up here a few years ago and they took root. There is another selected Opuntia from Bush2Beach that I did NOT think would actually root and come up, but so it is!


Blueberry cactus flowering. This thing is actually decently cold hardy.


Peruvian apple cactus was at first just the central cutting in a 25 gallon but it rooted out into the concrete so bad that it broke the pot in half. I put it in ground last Fall around October and it survived winter and snow not even blinking an eye. It hasn't flowered yet, but should soon.


Another selected Opuntia


This is a "strawberry" cactus that makes good fruit, but it really is not cold hardy and has suffered a lot in my 9b weather. I put it in ground last year and it hasn't budged. We'll see how it does.

[Nick C]

Dragonfruit flowering the other night




Nopalea cochenillifera




Just picked these up pretty recently, variegated echinopsis pachanoi and cereus forbesii spiralis

[SDPirate]

Stump them and graft the shoots. Plum trees that big should be huge producers and you can put any stone fruit you want on 'em

I probably should, the mother tree is constantly taking over the lemon tree next to it.  The 2 other large offspring near it are up on the fence border.  All of them totally useless and neglected for like 15 years except for an occasional branch cutback so the lemon can thrive. 

[SDPirate]

Getting a lot more growth out of my little guys.  Hoping it stays sunny for them. 

Stenocereus Thurberi seedlings approx 4 months old:



Stenocereus Chacalapensis:



Eulychnia Acida.  This one is finnicky to me for some reason.



Stenocereus Thurberi var. Littoralis the Dwarf Organpipe Cactus.  I got this one recently unrooted so hopefully no issues with it developing.



Also my Honduran Moontorch is showing some hairy looking buds but I don't have a pic of it.  Kind of weird though because I only rooted it over the winter, I am thinking maybe because it seems more dwarfish than regular dragonfruit species.