Propagating Prickly Pear, Opuntia fragilis - Ask Extension
This seems to be an early year for everything in the garden, including the flower buds coming out on my cactus. I know how to propagate it but have a...
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Propagating Prickly Pear, Opuntia fragilis #870922
Asked May 31, 2024, 11:26 AM EDT
This seems to be an early year for everything in the garden, including the flower buds coming out on my cactus. I know how to propagate it but have always done so before the flower buds come out. Can I still cut off a section to propagate niow or do I have to wait until the flowers have produced and are then gone?
And yes the weeds are abundant and unknown - between the early spring and the winds blowing it's made it interesting out there!
Antrim County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Nancy,
When plants are blooming, they have been using energy reserves to produce the bloom then the fruit. This places stress on the plant that may not allow it to root well for you. If you have a large plant with an ample supply of pads, you could try a couple that are blooming now and see how they do.
This article from University of Florida discusses using a pad that is at least 6 months old.
