Indoor plants

Opuntia

Family Cactaceae. Opuntias represent an entire subfamily, the Opuntioideae. Some of its representatives are not at all like what people usually imagine an opuntia to be, but nevertheless there are common characteristics by which an opuntia can always be distinguished, no matter how it looks.

First of all, there are the minute spines (glochids), which not everyone can notice, but everyone will certainly feel when their palms begin to sting and itch fiercely after contact. Unfortunately, most members of the genus Opuntia are not very suitable for growing in apartments. Firstly, because they grow to enormous sizes, and secondly, because of their limited decorative appeal. Many opuntias never bloom indoors, since flowering may occur only when they reach certain sizes, which is unrealistic in apartments. Therefore, when choosing an opuntia specifically, it is better to prefer small species.

Cylindrical opuntia - Opuntia cilindrica - it is not always recognized as an opuntia, leaving people guessing what kind of plant it is. It has cylindrical stems, at first solitary, then branching with age. It grows quickly and reaches 1.5 - 1.8 m in height. It blooms with large pink flowers.

Rust-red opuntia - Opuntia rufida - its stems are covered with clusters of rust-red glochids.

Clothed opuntia - Opuntia vestita - with a cylindrical stem covered with downy hairs. It blooms with small red flowers.

Small-haired opuntia - Opuntia microdasys - its jointed stems are covered with clusters of hooked light glochids. It blooms with large yellow flowers. The variety White-spined opuntia Opuntia microdasys albinospina has white glochids that do not fall off when touched. This opuntia easily blooms at home with yellow flowers. In addition, the small size of this cactus makes it easy to keep in an apartment.

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