Cactus Identification

[amh]

Found this growing in my backyard and have no idea what it is. Kinda looks like a prickly pear, but it has hair.

Does anyone have any idea what it is?

Location is central Texas. Sorry about the image quality.

[Silas_Sancona]

15 minutes ago, amh said:

Found this growing in my backyard and have no idea what it is. Kinda looks like a prickly pear, but it has hair.

Does anyone have any idea what it is?

Location is central Texas. Sorry about the image quality.

Looks like the ursine variety of Opuntia polyacantha var. eriniacea.. What is sold as " Snow Prickly Pear "

[amh]

1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Looks like the ursine variety of Opuntia polyacantha var. eriniacea.. What is sold as " Snow Prickly Pear "

Thanks.

So, it probably escape cultivation. Do you know the cold hardiness?

[Silas_Sancona]

8 minutes ago, amh said:

Thanks.

So, it probably escape cultivation. Do you know the cold hardiness?

Not sure on this particular variety but the species is extremely cold hardy.. listed at something like -12 to -45C but can depend on where a particular clone comes from ( very wide distribution ).

For what it is worth, ( and not sure whether or not his info. is correct ) Matt's landscape lists " Opuntia Snow " as a monstrose form or sport of Opuntia engelmanii which is common pretty much everywhere from here thru Texas. Again though, this form may be less hardy than the species. ( his site lists 25F or so being the cold hardiness )

I myself might protect it as best as possible, just in case.

[amh]

1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Not sure on this particular variety but the species is extremely cold hardy.. listed at something like -12 to -45C but can depend on where a particular clone comes from ( very wide distribution ).

For what it is worth, ( and not sure whether or not his info. is correct ) Matt's landscape lists " Opuntia Snow " as a monstrose form or sport of Opuntia engelmanii which is common pretty much everywhere from here thru Texas. Again though, this form may be less hardy than the species. ( his site lists 25F or so being the cold hardiness )

I myself might protect it as best as possible, just in case.

Thanks, I'll probably dig it up tomorrow. It's already seen the upper teens this winter, but for a short duration.

Edited February 11, 2021 by amh

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, amh said:

Thanks, I'll probably dig it up tomorrow. It's already seen the upper teens this winter, but for a short duration.

It's an interesting Prickly Pear for sure.  Had to add one to my collection after seeing some for sale.  Not entirely happy where i have it though atm.. Growing ..but kind of stretched out since it doesn't get enough light under my patio.

[amh]

Just now, Silas_Sancona said:

It's an interesting Prickly Pear for sure.  Had to add one to my collection after seeing some for sale.  Not entirely happy where i have it though atm.. Growing ..but kind of stretched out since it doesn't get enough light under my patio.

The one in the picture is in an area that gets a lot of shade and competition, it would get mowed down if I hadn't found it by accident.

The pictures I found look neat, so another cactus for my collection.

[Tom in Tucson]

It is more likely to be a native species found in the hill country. Many prickly pears have hairlike spines as seedlings which they grow out of in a year or two. Go to https://opuntiads.com/oblog/category/opuntiads/ and browse around to find the species that grow near you, and are known to have hair as seedlings.

You are correct about it needing more light, but I would wait for spring to transplant it.

Hi 76˚, Lo 42˚

 

[amh]

16 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

It is more likely to be a native species found in the hill country. Many prickly pears have hairlike spines as seedlings which they grow out of in a year or two. Go to https://opuntiads.com/oblog/category/opuntiads/ and browse around to find the species that grow near you, and are known to have hair as seedlings.

You are correct about it needing more light, but I would wait for spring to transplant it.

Hi 76˚, Lo 42˚

 

Thanks, I have a bunch of prickly pear in the area, but have never seen any with hair at this stage.

I'll do some more research.

[amh]

Looks awfully limp today, hopefully it will pull through.