Cylindropuntia IMBRICATA

Cylindropuntia IMBRICATA - Tree cholla, Cane cholla, Walking stick cholla, Cylindropuntia imbricata, Opuntia.

Cylindropuntia is a genus of cacti in the family Cactaceae, comprising about thirty species distributed across the arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico, where the plants inhabit semi-deserts, stony plains, and foothill slopes.

The stems are cylindrical and segmented, forming in large species a true woody trunk and a spreading crown. In the areoles, in addition to spines, there are glochids - minute barbed bristles that easily penetrate the skin, and on young shoots small subulate leaflets are noticeable, falling off quickly. The genus differs from the outwardly similar South American Austrocylindropuntia by the presence of papery sheaths on the spines.

The flowers are large, funnel-shaped, usually in bright shades - purple, pink, yellow, or orange, opening at the ends of young segments. The fruits are fleshy or dry, often tuberculate, with large pale seeds.

Cylindropuntia imbricata is a species from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, growing at altitudes of 1200 to 2300 meters (3900-7500 ft). A large tree-like plant 3-5 meters (10-16 ft) in height, forming a true woody trunk up to 25 cm (10 in) across and a spreading crown of segments. The distinctive shingles on the stem surface are formed by large overlapping tubercles - precisely for which the species received its name.

There are 10 to 30 spines per areole; they are rather short, white or light brown, equipped with papery, easily detached sheaths, for which they are known as sheathed spines. Flowering occurs in spring and summer: the flowers are large, purple-pink or magenta, followed by yellow tuberculate fruits that remain on the plant for a long time.

Cylindropuntia seeds are relatively large for cacti, pale, flat, with a dense coat, enclosed in tuberculate fruits. The dense coat noticeably slows germination, so it is lightly scratched with sandpaper without damaging the embryo.

After scarification, the seeds are kept for 1-2 hours in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, then soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. Then the seeds are sown into a sterile substrate of leaf soil, washed river sand, and finely crushed charcoal in a 1:1:0.5 ratio to a depth equal to the size of the seed.

The sowing is moistened from a spray bottle, covered with film or placed in a greenhouse, and germinated in the light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of 22-26 °C (72-79 °F) with daily airing. Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings appear after 2-3 weeks; the main germination is usually completed within one and a half months, while individual seeds may delay significantly longer. Pricking out is carried out after the appearance of the first spines, into separate pots with mineral substrate.

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The plant needs the sunniest possible location - with a lack of light, the segments stretch and become smaller.

Compared to most cacti, cylindropuntias are noticeably more resistant to cold. In summer, the plant is kept warm; in winter, it requires a cold, dry dormancy, and hardened specimens can tolerate sub-zero temperatures provided the substrate is completely dry. The combination of cold and dampness is fatal.

Watering in summer is moderate, only after the substrate has dried out completely. In winter, watering is stopped completely.

The substrate must be mineral, loose, and fast-drying: a mixture of leaf soil, coarse river sand, and finely crushed charcoal. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot; a stable container is chosen since an adult plant becomes heavy.

Fertilizer is applied during the period of active growth with a cactus fertilizer with reduced nitrogen content; it is not used during the dormancy period.

Caution is required when working with the plant: glochids easily lodge in the skin and are difficult to remove, so repotting is more conveniently done wearing thick gloves. Repotting is performed as the root ball fills the pot, into dry substrate, followed by drying before the first watering.