Oh my goodnes! Monster cacti 😀 Looks similar to those I've seen on Turkish coast, but they were dark greenish.

This is most likely the ones you seen on the Turkish coast. Opuntia ficus indica 😀
And yes they have big pads!
Tombstone AZ

Bullseye! 😀

Bullseye! 😀

Sorry Tim, I don't mean to hijack your thread. 😳

Don't you wish you could grow these in your yard. 😀

About 90% of them died in the county where my property is in AZ. I had one on my property, but died that winter.
Big stumps left after the "Big Freeze".

are the 10% which survived hardier or just in better microclimates? You may want to collect some of those pads. 😉

are the 10% which survived hardier or just in better microclimates? You may want to collect some of those pads. 😉

The ones that looked alive too me seemed to be in better micro's 😉 There was a few distinct types atleast 2 forms that I have pics of. I wish I could spend more time down there to see what's still alive. 😀

Here is the 2 together. I realy like the top one best. Too bad most people down there don't now how to land scape with desert plants. 🙂

And here is a pic of the bottom after the freeze, I could not recall where I seen the others at after the freeze.

And here is one just on the other side of the biulding from the above. Better micro.

most people down there don't now how to land scape with desert plants

Obviously don't appreciate how architectural these plants are.
Often look really good with ultra-modern homes with gravel surrounds.

Nothing can look good beside chain link fencing.

I wish I could spend more time down there to see what's still alive.

A research project! :idea1:

Barb

thanks for the photos Aaron. I wish I could grow them here!

thanks for the photos Aaron. I wish I could grow them here!

Me too. 😀 I did see one that barely made it through a winter down in the canyon. Mild winter. No way is it still alive. 😉

someone should hybridize Opuntia ficus indica with a hardy Opuntia...........that would be cool.

someone should hybridize Opuntia ficus indica with a hardy Opuntia...........that would be cool.

You are always one step ahead of Mother-Nature. 😆

That would be cool, a good start if you live in a zone 7 or better would be Opuntia ellisiana. It is the only cactus that I confuse with smaller O. ficus. I think the two would be a good start. And then maybe Try a O. polyacantha 😉

That's attractively done!

Looks good when they're not caught in chicken wire or the like.

Barb

Hi Aaron,

I tried Opuntia ellisiana and it died it's first year and we are zone 6b.........not far from 7a. 😉 Cow's tongue survived a winter here with minimal damage.....then it died. I have 2 upright large padded cactus which have survived for 8+ years. Those are my winners but sunlight is being lost to my mamouth S. magnolia tree.

O. ellisiana back in 2005 (on right)
<img src= >

Cow's tongue before it died.
<img src= >

Hardy upright with very few spines......still alive.
<img src= >

Mesa Garden's hardy engelmannii back in 2006......still alive.
<img src= >

That's attractively done!

Looks good when they're not caught in chicken wire or the like.

Barb

Barb, I agree. This town is mainly retired people (Sunsites) and is the place I like the most. But it is starting to become a gost town, becuase of the economy. The locals said they have seen it before, wont be long before poeple start moving in again. 🙂

WOW...you have tried just about everything Tim. 😯

Always nice to know about hardy facts rather than posted zones. I always dought most plant zones, low or high.

Here's a cow's tongue for you. 😀

Aaron, it seems that cactus in Amarillo a picture of which I posted in November is Opuntia ellisiana! Thanks for sharing your incredible knowledge about all this cacti stuff. Tim makes us more knowledgeable about various yucca sitting in the East, you do the same from the West. Great, Guys!

Aaron, it seems that cactus in Amarillo a picture of which I posted in November is Opuntia ellisiana! Thanks for sharing your incredible knowledge about all this cacti stuff. Tim makes us more knowledgeable about various yucca sitting in the East, you do the same from the West. Great, Guys!

Always interesting to here about the over seas yucca and cactus. I can't wait to here how you plants are after this winter. 😉