Re-establishing Eastern Prickly Pear in Connecticut

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

For those who don't know, the Eastern Prickly pear "Opuntia humifusa" is the only native Cactus to Connecticut. Its native range was once much larger in Connecticut (one spanning the entire coastline and some areas somewhat more inland) but due to development, much of its habitat has been destroyed as now it sparsely populates isolated areas from Greenwich west to Old Lyme.  I plan on finding a source of prickly pear pads and finding some out of the way areas at the preserves and beaches I often visit (usually more eastward) to plant them, helping to re-establish new colonies.... They spread quickly after a few years and I should hope this would help as they are a species of special concern.  I do wonder, would it be wise to take them from cultivated plants, or should I stick with finding ones in habitat to pluck the pads from to avoid possibly mixing cultivated clones with wild ones.....

My own photos of native prickly pears at the Audubon Society Coastal Center in Milford CT, probably the most accessible place to see them in habitat.

 

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 4/6/2022 at 7:10 PM, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

For those who don't know, the Eastern Prickly pear "Opuntia humifusa" is the only native Cactus to Connecticut. Its native range was once much larger in Connecticut (one spanning the entire coastline and some areas somewhat more inland) but due to development, much of its habitat has been destroyed as now it sparsely populates isolated areas from Greenwich west to Old Lyme.  I plan on finding a source of prickly pear pads and finding some out of the way areas at the preserves and beaches I often visit (usually more eastward) to plant them, helping to re-establish new colonies.... They spread quickly after a few years and I should hope this would help as they are a species of special concern.  I do wonder, would it be wise to take them from cultivated plants, or should I stick with finding ones in habitat to pluck the pads from to avoid possibly mixing cultivated clones with wild ones.....

My own photos of native prickly pears at the Audubon Society Coastal Center in Milford CT, probably the most accessible place to see them in habitat.

 

 

 

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Best option is to acquire pads < or seed > from the closest local populations to where you're hoping to establish new colonies.. But, starting pads from cultivated specimens is also an option ..More of a back up option though.  I might also acquire a few pads for myself to grow out in containers, to serve as mother plants i can transplant new pads from later.

Opuntia pads root pretty quickly when kept warm and moist ( ..but not wet )  In a majority of cases, i'll wait to see signs of new pads developing on the planted one before i plant out / transplant to bigger pots ..but, you don't necessarily need to wait..  As long as you can monitor them, you can stick pads directly in the ground and they will usually root just fine.

When planting, plant them roughly a bit over 1/4ths of the total length ( of the Pad ) in the ground..  Some Opuntia will root just laying on the surface of the soil, others won't, ..as easily anyway.