The prickly pear cactus (bot. Opuntia ficus indica), which comes from Mexico, is a desert plant. So it's understandable that he loves the sun and warmth. Nevertheless, the prickly pear cactus can be described as at least partially hardy.
Is the prickly pear cactus hardy?
The prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) is conditionally hardy and can tolerate sub-zero temperatures for a short period of time. Temperatures between 0 °C and 6 °C are suitable for overwintering, ideally in an unheated winter garden or greenhouse. In winter the cactus does not need to be watered or fertilized.
During the summer you can place your prickly pear cactus in the garden or on the balcony. Give it a sunny and dry place. Also, make sure that the spines don't get too close to you if you want to make yourself comfortable near the plant. Touching it can be very painful and easily cause inflammation.
Since your prickly pear cactus should move to winter quarters in the fall, planting it in a container makes sense. A planter with wheels (€196.00 on Amazon) is highly recommended because the prickly pear cactus can grow quite large. This means you can quickly and easily get the plant dry if the rain continues, as too much moisture could harm the prickly pear.
How do I care for my prickly pear cactus in winter?
The prickly pear cactus is particularly easy to care for in winter. Then it doesn't need to be watered or fertilized. Only give your prickly pear a few drops of water if the soil appears to be very dry. Although it cannot tolerate frost over a longer period of time, sub-zero temperatures hardly harm the prickly pear in the short term.
However, the prickly pear cactus prefers to overwinter at temperatures just above freezing. Around 0 °C to 6 °C is ideal. If you have an unheated winter garden or a greenhouse, these are ideal places to overwinter a prickly pear cactus. It shouldn't be completely dark there, but in winter the prickly pear cactus needs significantly less light than in summer.
When the days slowly get warmer again, the prickly pear can leave its winter quarters again. Get him used to the changed temperatures slowly. Now it's time to think about propagation. Spring is ideal for taking cuttings.
The most important things in brief:
- only conditionally hardy
- does not tolerate permanent frost
- ideal temperature for wintering: between 0 °C and 6 °C
- Do not water or fertilize in winter
- needs little light in winter
Tip
Water your prickly pear cactus in winter only when the soil is fairly dry.
