[Arid_gardener] Cactus identification

[Tyler Storey]

Hi Phyllis,
>From your description, it seems clear that it is a cactus in the 'Opuntia'
genus -- the prickly pears.  One of the few Opuntias with large smooth pads
is the Opuntia ficus-indica, or Indian Fig prickly pear.  That's a fairly
common prickly pear, though, so I could well be wrong -- it would be
surprising not to find easy information on it.   
You might do a web search for "Opuntia ficus-indica" and look for images,
and you could also look at the list of prickly pears on this web site:
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Opuntia.html
Another option would be to break off a pad (carefully, since even spineless
opuntia have little sharp glochids), and take it down to a good local
nursery and ask them what they think.  
If you have a clear picture of it, you could send it to me and I'd be happy
to take a look at identifying it for you.
Thanks much,
Tyler

tyler at tylerstorey.com
http://tylerstorey.com
602-738-2978

-----Original Message-----
From: arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu
[mailto:arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu] On Behalf Of
pvincent10 at cox.net
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:14 AM
To: arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

Phyllis  
85351
pvincent10 at cox.net

I have a huge cacti plant in my yard, and I cannot find information on it
anywhere. It is easily propagated, and
is fast growing from a pad. The original is about twenty to
twenty five feet tall and ten to twelve feet wide, with large,
flat,smooth pads (no needles) and wide spreading, smooth limbs with pads. It
is massive, the main trunk is a foot in diameter. It flowered last summer,
but only at the very top.
I cannot find one like it in any website or cacti book. I would
like to know the name of it. My neighbors love it.


_______________________________________________
Arid_gardener mailing list
Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener
All contents copyright 2007. Arizona Board of Regents/University of Arizona