Not all opuntias are hardy, some do not tolerate frost at all, others only survive short and relatively mild frost periods unscathed. Opuntia engelmannii, on the other hand, is very tolerant of frost and can even spend the coldest winter in your garden.
The Opuntia engelmannii also tolerates cold winters outdoors without any problems
Not even temperatures of 20 °C do much to this cactus from the southern USA. This makes it one of the most frost-tolerant cacti you can find. There are quite a few variants of this robust cactus. Some only reach a height of about one meter, others grow up to four meters tall.
The rather bushy Opuntia engelmannii rarely has a clearly visible trunk. But this opuntia is one of the useful plants, because the juicy fruits are usually edible. In addition, the red juice of the fruit can be used for coloring or as an ink.
How do I care for the Opuntia engelmannii?
While the prickly pear cactus needs winter quarters because it can only tolerate temperatures just below freezing for a short time, the Opuntia engelmannii gets along very well without such special treatment. However, it is somewhat sensitive to moisture in winter. Therefore, give the plant protection from the rain.
Like all Opuntia, Opuntia engelmannii is easy to care for. In order to get through the winter safely, the plant should be well nourished. Therefore, fertilize your Opuntia engelmannii regularly from April to July. Use a complete mineral fertilizer for this or add liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water.
If your cactus is in the garden or on the balcony, water it when it is dry, otherwise the natural rainfall should be sufficient. In winter, only water the Opuntia engelmannii on frost-free days and only in very small quantities.
The essentials in brief:
- at home in the southern US and Mexico
- usually at an altitude of 150 to 1800 m
- edible fruits
- shrubby growth
- up to about 3.5 m high
- rarely has a stem
- frost hardy to below - 20 °C
- reacts sensitively to wet conditions in winter
tips
If you are looking for a frost-hardy cactus that also bears edible fruit, then the Opuntia engelmannii should be your first choice.