BCSS - Forum

Hi,

Over the last few years I have tried to germinated and grow some small Opuntia seed, the following photos show some of the results. Some are looking a bit shrivelled - dormancy and no nutrition since September, I also transplanted them mid growing season which contributed!

I'd be (gently) watering those smallest ones through their first winter.

Hi Ralph,

I don’t water during the winter, they never seem to absorb it, even on the sunniest days.

I find Maihuenia seedlings are very prone to desiccation even in winter and would risk a few drops of water especially if they are in a heated greenhouse.

AndrewB wrote: ↑Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:03 pm I don’t water during the winter, they never seem to absorb it, even on the sunniest days.

It's hard to see, as everything happens so much slower at low temperatures - but the cacti I water in winter definitely seem more ready to start growing in spring than ones kept bone dry. It may help them retain their roots.

I was going to say the same as Mike - the Maihuenia in particular like a little water.

Thanks for your advice.

I have ended up with plants getting dripped on when it rains during the winter. The results have usually been shrinking of the plant, presumably dilution of stored nutrients and not surviving the spring start. This winter I did get a couple of seedlings actually grow from the accidental deluge, but it seems the exception rather than the norm.

As it’s only two months until March, I shall wait until a decent sunny period in early spring.

Maihuenia is a very different creature, in its own subfamily of the Cactaceae, not an opuntia and from a quite wet area. Not to be confused with Maihueniopsis which is an opuntioid.

It’s the Maihuenia darwinii v hickenii and T.alexanderi ssp bruchii that are the most shrunk at the moment. The Maihueniopsis still seem to even have turgid leaves.

But as you say, it’s not an Opuntioid, but is closely related according to cladistics.

You mean Maihueniopsis darwinii? That is an opuntioid.