Easy to care for and very exotic - cacti come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and are becoming increasingly popular both in the garden and as houseplants. The prickly pear cactus in particular is one of the most beautiful cacti that also blooms and thrives profusely in this country. The plant was even chosen “Cactus of the Year” in 2019 by the cactus societies of Germany, Austria and Switzerland and for good reason. Its sweet fruits and beautiful flowers delight all gardeners and transform the garden into a small exotic oasis. Would you also like to give your outdoor area an extraordinary touch? Then you can find out here how best to grow a Nopal cactusgrow and care for properly!
What exactly is the prickly pear?
Okay, like you crispGrowing cucumbers, we have already explained to you. But today we are going to talk about the exotic and beautiful prickly pear. The Nopal cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) is also known as the prickly pear cactus and is one of the most popular cacti that also thrives in this country. The plant originally comes from the warm areas of South, North and Central America and can now be found in many warm areas of the world, such as Australia and South Africa. There are more than 200 varieties of prickly pears and around 15 of them have also become established in Central Europe.
The Nopal cactus has a distinctive appearance and, in contrast to the usual cacti, does not have a columnar or spherical shape. Instead, the plant forms flat, disc-shaped shoots that line up like chain links to form branch-like structures. The Nopal cactus doesn't just impress with its appearance - you caneat the prickly pear. The fruits are healthy and can be enjoyed cooked, raw or as jam, juice and syrup.
This is how you can grow nopal cactus
You want to give your garden an exotic flair and an opalCactusgrow? You have two options to choose from. You can grow the prickly pear cactus either from seeds or from cuttings. We will explain to you below exactly how the two methods work.
Growing Nopal Cactus from Seeds
If you want to grow the prickly pear cactus from seeds, you can get them either from a garden store or by extracting the fruits of the plant. How to do it correctly:
- If you didn't find any seeds in the garden store, then you need a ripe prickly pear.
- Cut the plant and scoop out some seeds.
- Rinse the pulp from the seeds and allow to dry completely.
- Next, place the seeds in a pot with moist (not wet) soil.
- Since the Nopal cactus does not tolerate moisture, cover half of the soil with a thin layer of sand or coarse pumice stone.
- Next, cover the pot with plastic wrap and place in a warm, sunny location.
Grow prickly pear cactus through cuttings
It's much quicker if you grow the prickly pear cactus from cuttings. Spring is the perfect time to plant the Nopal cactus. Even if the plants don't have space in their current pot, you can easily repot them at this time of year. Since the prickly pear spreads as it grows, it is best to use a low and wide planter. It is also important that the pots used have drainage holes. To protect yourself from the thorns, you should definitely wear gloves. It would also be helpful if you worked with pliers or tweezers.
And here comes our instructions:
- Choose a healthy piece and carefully cut it off with a knife or pruning shears.
- Place the cuttings on a windowsill or in the shade until the cut surfaces heal and a corn forms. This will prevent the prickly pear cactus from becoming infected.
- Fill a pot with half soil and half stones and sand and insert the cuttings about 2 cm deep.
- Finally, moisten the soil with a little water and place the pot in a sunny and protected place.
- And that's it - it's that easy to grow a Nopal cactus.
The perfect soil for the prickly pear cactus
Like most cacti, the Nopal cactus is very easy to care for and is therefore ideal for all inexperienced hobby gardeners. But in order for him to feel comfortable and thrive, you should create the perfect environment for him. The prickly pear is a desert cactus and therefore needs sandy, nutrient-rich and well-drained soil. One is considered optimalSoil pH, which is between 5.6 and 7. When it comes to fertilizing, the Nopal cactus is also very easy to care for and needs to be supplied with special cactus fertilizer once in spring and once in summer.
The optimal location for the prickly pear cactus
In order for the Nopal cactus to feel comfortable and thrive, it needs a sunny, airy and warm location. The plant needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day and temperatures should ideally be between 18 and 25 degrees. Indoors, a south or west window works best. To protect the Nopal cactus from frost in winter, you should never grow it directly outdoors. Use a large clay pot for this.
If you want to grow Nopal Cactus, you should of course water it properly. As you would expect, as a desert plant, the prickly pear is extremely drought tolerant and does not require much water. However, it is still important to keep the soil moist. It is best to only water the Nopal cactus when you notice that the top layer of soil has become extremely dry. In most areas, even a small amount of rainfall is enough for the nopal cactus to thrive. In winter you should water the prickly pear very little, maximum once a month.
