Thanks Aaron. Starting to grow like weeds. Which is the kind of weeds I like. 🙂

I'm not too sure which form the Humifusa is Paul. I got it from a guy named Jim in Ontario. He use to post a lot on the
other cold hardy forums.

Now that I look at Duncan's it looks more upright. And Jim's definitely looks like O. ficus-indica.

-Jay

Darn, I meant to save the tags 😕 ! Would make this all a little easier.

Thank you all for your imput. I have to agree with Paul in terms of hardiness: ie. not very. They just look too fragile. I hope I'm wrong though.

Talk soon!

BTW Jay, is that yucca in foreground glauca or elata or something in between? It's awesome.

Thanks!

Duncan

Hi Paul,

that first 'humifusa' photo you posted with spines sure looks like it has some polyacantha genes in it?? Some of these cactus are hard to ID. Some Macrorhizas seem to look like humifusa too.

Duncan,

your spineless cactus is a beauty......I can't get any of those types to survive here in Massachusetts zone 6b so GOOD luck in your area. If your really dry in winter you'll get better results but zone 4 is really pushing it. I tried a bunch of hardy upright cactus and this one actually survives in my climate.............ID, who knows!

Tim, that almost looks like O. engelmann? But what is the smaller up right in the left corner of the pic?

Also would you sell a pad from those up rights? or a trade? 🙂

Hey Tim- Ya, that 'humifusa' is an odd-ball alright. It's a naturalized group of plants near Long Point, Ontario. This is further north and east than any other O. humifusa population in Ontario. My thoughts are that these plants were either planted on purpose, OR they spread from (possible?) nearby plants. If I had to guess I'd say they are at least 50% macrorhiza (I think that macrorhiza is just a more 'western' form of humifusa, and that polyacantha is just a 'western' form of macrorhiza)... Anyway, it is interesting to see the plants in a 'natural' setting.

FYI there is a reported natural Opuntia humifusa population on Long Point, however, the entire point is now owned by the 'Long Point Company' and it is almost impossible to get access to confirm the presence of these plants. I'll keep trying (it will mean a 40km round trip hike to the end of the point).

Oh, and I have seed set from a cross of humifusa x non-hardy large trunker (have to get an I.D. on it). If you have room I might want you to try some of the seed (since your climate is warmer than mine). Let me know.

Hi Aaron,

I'm not sure what the ID is. I posted photos of it several times over the years and I have a list of confirmed ID's! LOL

It's a shy bloomer but It does bloom.....it probably took 4 or 5 years to bloom for me. I'm sure a cactus expert could ID it with a photo of the flower.

I can trade a pad for your black corvette? Deal? LOL

Hey Aaron,

the only 'upright' cactus I see to the left is this cactus......but it's not an upright. It's a miniature form of O. humifusa. It has tiny pads. Cool little plant. Is this the cactus? It will lay flat in winter.

Hi Paul,

I'm no cactus expert but I think polyacantha has dry fruits (not fleshy). Does that unusual looking humifusa with spines have dry fruits or fleshy fruits. I guess if it were some intermediate form it may have semi-fleshy fruits??

Your cross of humifusa x non-hardy large trunker (have to get an I.D. on it) sounds interesting. Can you post a photo of the large trunker? I'd love some seeds......in five years I'll let you know what they look like! LOL

Here's a (bad) pic of my O. humifusa. They flowered for the first time this summer. I received some pads from my uncle in Ontario around 5 years aso, and they've been growing in this spot ever since. All I do to protect them in the winter is place an empty recycling bag over them, to try to keep some water/moisture out. I have a feeling that they're from a population in Ontario, but neither of us know for sure. My uncle has dozens of o. humifusa at his house in Toronto, and they line the path leading up to his door !

<a href=" " target="_blank"><img src=" " border="0" alt="Opuntia humifusa">

Hi Cameron,

your O. humifusa is different from the ones I have.................it's very cool to see all these different forms of O. humifusa.

Here's a few humifusa/macrorhiza types I messed with over the years:

The older growth glochids are really cool on this one:

This looks like the flower on the miniature humifusa:

These flowers really spread out flat which was unusual (at least in my garden):

Here's a hybrid I created between humifusa (no spines) x phaeacantha 'red':

What I call O. humifusa will no spines:

Here's the big glochid type in bloom:

I can trade a pad for your black corvette? Deal? LOL

Ummmm........awwww....... how about I trade you a zone 7/6b Opuntia chlorotica pad next summer for one. Very hardy for the sp. Maybe we can make a deal in the spring. No room here for anything in the winter. 😉

Hi Aaron,

anything you want let me know. I don't think it's the best time to send cactus pads.....they should be going through dormancy now and not fully dormant? Opuntia chlorotica sound familiar........I think someone thought the cactus I had may be a Opuntia chlorotica. What does yours look like?

Hi Aaron,

anything you want let me know. I don't think it's the best time to send cactus pads.....they should be going through dormancy now and not fully dormant? Opuntia chlorotica sound familiar........I think someone thought the cactus I had may be a Opuntia chlorotica. What does yours look like?

Tim, I agree. I don't think it would be a good time to send cactus, maybe in the spring. 😀

Chlorotica has round pads, short light coloured spines, and a little different. Not the best pic, but is of one growing in Idaho.
Not completely hardy here but is as good as it gets for the sp.

Nice thread guys,I am less interested in the Succulents than usual because I
don't have room for anything else but the small stuff.

I have enjoyed the pics and discussion though.....

Here's a link to Kelly G's site in case you haven't seen it-great seller!

http://coldhardycactus.com/Pages/Opuntia.htm

I have a small plant of O. chloroticta collected at ~6000ft in Northwestern Arizona... I'm far too chicken to palnt it out until I'm sure the mother plant will survive. Maybe next spring. I don't hold out much hope for this species in a cold/wet zone 5, no matter what the source! I hope to be able to use it in crosses to get some large Opuntionids that can handle my climate (I'm thinking crosses with polyacanhta (AB forms) and macrorhiza would be good!).

Steve- do you have a picture of yours?