Surprising new sprouts on my Opuntia

4 years ago

I've been keeping this opuntia alive since my husband died six years ago. I mean it IS alive. It has done fairly well but at the end of this winter it seemed to have regressed. I think it's because I seldom left home and the apartment was ALWAYS warm even though it was by a cool window.

I decided on drastic action and planned on repotting. I had commercial cactus mix and I also ordered a very expensive mix from a fellow who was bragging about it on etsy. I repotted this.

Suddenly I am seeing these red sprouts that I have never ever seen in all the years it's lived here. There is the big one you see in the bottom of the photo but there are more -- everywhere, even on the woody parts of the plant. You can see a tiny one right next to the big "flower" one. I know my cacti don't look beautiful and thriving like all the ones I see here and in green houses. They are struggling and I'm just trying to keep up with them. I have started potting some tabs from them too.

Well, that's the history -- is my cactus trying to bloom? I'm taking these little growths as a positive sign.

Featured Answer

plantkiller_il_5

4 years ago

Northern IL. my Opuntia are going nuts this year

ron

I usually hang in conifer forum

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Comments (10)

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
4 years ago
It is making new pads, new sections.
bleusblue2 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
bleusblue2
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Tiffany -- I'll be glad for new pads too -- but what surprises me is how they are all popping out at once -- During the winter I seldom examine them and they don't make new pads then. But in the summer I am constantly moving them into the sunlight and I have never seen this much activity. I ask them -- what did I do right after all this time?!!!
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
4 years ago
My pleasure! It must like the new soil.
bleusblue2 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
4 years ago
I’m pretty sure you’ve got a flower bud🙂. Could be a new pad, but looks more like a bud to me.
bleusblue2 thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
bleusblue2
Original Author
4 years ago
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA

59 minutes ago

I’m pretty sure you’ve got a flower bud🙂. Could be a new pad, but looks more like a bud to me.

I will post as soon as I know!
Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
4 years ago
Please do I ❤️ love cactus flowers. I have an Opuntia azurea pad I’m rooting and it bloomed like crazy.
bleusblue2 thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
Kellie Kirby
4 years ago
I think we all struggle with one plant or 2, so dont worry about that! It appears to me you are about to have a bunch of flowers soon. And that means your plant is healthy now and you're doing a great job. Keep up the good work.
bleusblue2 thanked Kellie Kirby
bleusblue2
Original Author
4 years ago
Those yellow flowers -- I have never seen anything like that!

I have to report that I am NOT going to see flowers from those little sprouts. They turn out to be tabs but amazing anyway. One of the stems is a long old woody stem and there are sprouts/future tabs on it. I'll do pictures in a little while.
bleusblue2
Original Author
4 years ago
Latest news -- unfortunately no flowers but I am still stunned -- here you see the new sprouts coming out on this very old woody stem.

Here's a topper on a different plant.

Looks like a happy tab!

This is amazing to me -- these are two tabs that I hope will root and look -- they have sprouts also!