Help! - Cactus Identification

[SALOttawa]

Hello. I was travelling in British Columbia recently and went to a place called Osoyoos! It is a beautiful desert climate - apparently the only true desert climate in Canada! I found this beautiful cactus plant and was able to get some seeds from it. If anyone can give me some information as to identification, propagation, care, cold hardiness, it would be greatly appreciated! Do you think I could get it to survive here in Ottawa - zone 5a? What kind of winter protection would I need? If any?

Thanks in advance 

[Silas_Sancona]

Just now, SALOttawa said:

Hello. I was travelling in British Columbia recently and went to a place called Osoyoos! It is a beautiful desert climate - apparently the only true desert climate in Canada! I found this beautiful cactus plant and was able to get some seeds from it. If anyone can give me some information as to identification, propagation, care, cold hardiness, it would be greatly appreciated! Do you think I could get it to survive here in Ottawa - zone 5a? What kind of winter protection would I need? If any?

Thanks in advance 

Cylindropuntia ( Cholla ) species.. Not sure exactly which one though.. Pretty easy to grow:  Stem segments root easily,  Provide plenty of light ( will stretch out in too much shade )  Gritty " open " soil mix  over soil full of organics ( includes Peat.. Don't use it ) Seeds are easy if sown when it is above 75-80F Will take 2-4 weeks to pop..  ..Use the same open / gritty soil mix.  Develop fairly quickly once germinated.

Many species are quite cold tolerant, though tough to say they'd survive a winter outdoors in Ottawa Canada w/ out protection.. If i were to try it there, would be sure it is absolutely dry all winter and sheltered from the worst of the cold..  Because stem segments root so easily, when yours is big enough, you can sacrifice a couple segments and test how they withstand being totally exposed to the cold there.

**** One thing about Cylindropuntias .. watch the spines... Many have spines that are either barbed at the ends, or are serrated, like a saw ( with the teeth pointed downward )  and  stem segments / joints that can pop off the plant pretty easily..  Quite stubborn and  painful to remove from the skin in many cases ( kind of like Porcupine Quills ).. 

Other than that, neat group of cacti that are pretty easy to cultivate..

[Xerarch]

Wow, I knew there were a few cactus species that made it up into Canada, but didn't know any cholla made it there.

[SALOttawa]

5 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Cylindropuntia ( Cholla ) species.. Not sure exactly which one though.. Pretty easy to grow:  Stem segments root easily,  Provide plenty of light ( will stretch out in too much shade )  Gritty " open " soil mix  over soil full of organics ( includes Peat.. Don't use it ) Seeds are easy if sown when it is above 75-80F Will take 2-4 weeks to pop..  ..Use the same open / gritty soil mix.  Develop fairly quickly once germinated.

Many species are quite cold tolerant, though tough to say they'd survive a winter outdoors in Ottawa Canada w/ out protection.. If i were to try it there, would be sure it is absolutely dry all winter and sheltered from the worst of the cold..  Because stem segments root so easily, when yours is big enough, you can sacrifice a couple segments and test how they withstand being totally exposed to the cold there.

**** One thing about Cylindropuntias .. watch the spines... Many have spines that are either barbed at the ends, or are serrated, like a saw ( with the teeth pointed downward )  and  stem segments / joints that can pop off the plant pretty easily..  Quite stubborn and  painful to remove from the skin in many cases ( kind of like Porcupine Quills ).. 

Other than that, neat group of cacti that are pretty easy to cultivate..

Thank you Silas for identifying it for me and for the information on growing them. I will follow your directions and plant some seeds in the next couple of days. I thought it looked very cool, so I will be stoked if I can get one or more growing in my garden! Thanks again!

 

[Tom in Tucson]

It looks like Cylindropuntia imbricata. This species grows from southern Mexico to Colorado and Kansas. It can take an extreme amount of cold weather if it is dry.

Hi 75˚, Lo 41˚

[SALOttawa]

20 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

It looks like Cylindropuntia imbricata. This species grows from southern Mexico to Colorado and Kansas. It can take an extreme amount of cold weather if it is dry.

Hi 75˚, Lo 41˚

It might struggle in my zone 5a location. I will have to research how to protect it!