My collection in Finland

[Pia]

Opuntia fragilis 'Füssen' opened its first flower today. They are still flowering in a rockery in Finland after many years. They grow totally unprotected and without any care. Last winter we had a lot of snow (about 1 meter), and temperature was between -10 and -20 Celsius for many weeks.

[el48tel]

[edds]

That's fantastic Pia. Do you do anything to help them flower? I have a bunch of fragilis types and most are around the size of the one you have posted today but in pots. They haven't flowered yet so after any hints and tips please!

[Pia]

My opuntias are growing outdoors in a rockery totally on their own. I don't protect them from weather in any way (rain or frost). Once in the summer, I give fertilizer added to the water, but otherwise I don't water them. From my previous writings, you can read more about how I have planted them (soil, the structure of the rockery etc.). You can also read my article in Cactus World December 2018 (Vol. 36, No. 4). When I had four small plants, there were many tens of flowers open at the same time and about 80 buds (see my previous photos).

Now in the evening sun, this flower is slowly closing.

[edds]

Thanks Pia. I've just read your article - thanks for the reference.

Hopefully I can get my plants to flower in their bowls as I haven't got a suitable rockery at present for them - maybe in the future!

[Pia]

I wish you good luck, edds!

In spite of a little rain, the flower opened even more openly on the second day. You can see raindrops on the petals. I recall that the flowers do not open again on the third day.

[Pia]

One small Opuntia fragilis 'Füssen' produced 23 buds this year. As I have written in detail before, it grows outdoors in a rockery without any protection in Finland. Last winter was very cold here (between -10 and -20 degrees Celsius for many weeks), but there was a lot of snow (about 1 meter) to protect the plant. Here are some photos taken yesterday. Please notice an insect in the second picture on the left . In the previous posts, you can see four Opuntias with about a hundred buds and a lot of flowers at the same time.

Fussen41x.jpg (279.61 KiB) Viewed 149 times

Fussen40x.jpg (264.54 KiB) Viewed 149 times

Fussen39x.jpg (217.68 KiB) Viewed 149 times

[Mark07]

Very Nice! I always look forward to your update on this thread. Thank you.

[juster]

Looking lovely! It's so interesting to hear and see your results with such different growing conditions from the UK, thanks!

[Pia]

Thanks for your support!