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Post by nwflytrap on Jul 1, 2012 14:16:43 GMT -5
Hope you don't mind me posting a couple of pics of my own Opuntia flowers. Two of them opened today, they are already closing up late this afternoon. Sorry for the crappy quality. I've been reduced to an iPod as my go to camera.
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Post by dvg on Jul 9, 2012 13:09:27 GMT -5
A few pics of some native flowering Opuntia fragilis taken yesterday, from around the Edmonton area. dvg
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Post by nwflytrap on Jul 9, 2012 15:30:47 GMT -5
Wow that's a lot of flowers! I've never ween them in flower in the wild. We're always out in Alberta in August.
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Post by lloyd on Jul 9, 2012 18:00:43 GMT -5
Opuntia flowers are intense, although I could never resist touching them and getting glochids is my skin.
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Post by shoggoths on Jul 10, 2012 9:17:08 GMT -5
Wow, never seen this in the wild too.
Could these one withstand my 4b zone ?
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Post by 31drew31 on Jul 10, 2012 13:00:16 GMT -5
Great photos dvg, Ive also never seen them in the wild.
Martin, they should do just fine in zone 4b. Here in Calgary we are zone 3b and I think Edmonton is the same or possbily 3a.
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Post by dvg on Jul 10, 2012 14:28:27 GMT -5
what pretty Opuntia flower pics dvg!! Thanks for sharing. Did the flower give off any fragrance?? Thanks Ellsie, this flower did not smell and though there are cacti that give off fragrance, i don't believe cacti from the Opuntia family have any perfumed flowers. Wow that's a lot of flowers! I've never ween them in flower in the wild. We're always out in Alberta in August. NWFlytrap, the best flowering of Opuntia in central Alberta usually occurs in the first week of July. Opuntia flowers are intense, although I could never resist touching them and getting glochids is my skin. Yeah, glochids can definitely be irritating. These native cacti have long enough needle-like spines to provide an effective barrier against those annoying glochids. Wow, never seen this in the wild too. Could these one withstand my 4b zone ? Yes, Drew is correct. Edmonton is generally listed as either a 3a or 3b zone, so they should also handle a 4b zone. dvg
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Post by lloyd on Jul 10, 2012 17:10:52 GMT -5
I once sat on one of these while looking for dinosaur bones near Drumheller along the river.
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Post by shoggoths on Jul 10, 2012 20:14:51 GMT -5
Ok, thanks guys, it will be my next summer project !
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Post by nwflytrap on Jul 10, 2012 20:51:02 GMT -5
This is the third year for mine outside in NW Ontario. We regularly see -40C or colder through January and February. I planted them beside the South facing side of the house, so they don't get the North wind, and the eaves keeps most of the rain off of them as well. My wife is finally resigned to the fact that her pepper/tomato/eggplant garden is quickly becoming my cactus garden.
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Post by dvg on Jul 12, 2012 12:49:36 GMT -5
I once sat on one of these while looking for dinosaur bones near Drumheller along the river. They have a way of grabbing your undivided attention like that. After that experience you might have some insight into why Echinocactus grusonii is sometimes given the rather cheeky common name of Mother-in-Laws Chair or Cushion. dvg
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Post by lloyd on Jul 12, 2012 14:27:46 GMT -5
It was like the roadrunner cartoon where the coyote goes zooming up in the air after one of his contraptions goes awry.
By the way, was "cheeky" a pun?
My opuntia was at the end of my driveway in some gravel off a busy street. It was super dry and hot in the summer and covered by 3 feet or so of salty snow all winter. It did well in spite of the dogs and flowered really profusely in the 3'rd year. Then some *@^#@*&^*^ ripped it to pieces and stole it. I managed to plant a few remnants and then moved away.
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Post by dvg on Jul 14, 2012 13:21:41 GMT -5
By the way, was "cheeky" a pun? Hehe, i thought i'd just throw that one in there...didn't think anyone would notice. dvg
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