Cactus Opuntia Rufida

Today, I present you with one of the best-known species worldwide. It is known as a red nopal, but its scientific name is Opuntia Rufida. It can be found in America, between Texas and Mexico. Opuntias are easily recognized because they have fairly unique features. They are bushes that grow at most two meters, their leaves are oval and fleshy, twenty centimeters long by one and a half centimeters wide. They can be green-blue to green-grey.

At first sight it may seem that they have no spikes, but let you not be fooled by their fine appearance. As you can see, on the entire cactus surface, there are some red dots (hence their common hair) from which a kind of hair comes out. Well, that’s the spikes, and believe me when I tell you that nagging this will take a hard time for you, because unlike Cereus Peruvianus, where the spikes can be seen perfectly with the naked eye, those of Opuntia will need some tweezers, a magnifying glass and a lot of patience to remove them all if you’ve been punctured. And believe me also if I tell you that these little punctures that don’t seem to have to hurt you, are the ones that do most harm. So, if you have to manipulate any of these specimens, I recommend that you put gloves on.

They flower in summer, with bright yellow or orange flowers of considerable size, between six and eight centimeters. It has a red and elliptical shape, similar to corn figs, but they are not the same. It does not need large maintenances, the most important things are: Needs direct sun, hence planting directly on the ground or in a test also in the sun. They don’t and like to be inside, because they don’t get the same amount of oxygen as if they’re outside, they need water quite regularly, because if they are planted directly on the ground, they must be provided water once a week during the first year, and when it is better used to the site, from the age of two, it will be possible to get the irrigation when the cold seasons come. And if they’re planted in test, they have to be watered every five or six days.

Finally, as regards the minimum temperature supported, it is two degrees negative, which means it holds quite well. In case a squid falls, because they are stones, these when they come into contact with the leaves will damage them.