Q.How Do I Know What Variety I Have? Any Information Will Be Helpful. It Growing Like Crazy And Fell In Luv With This Cactus, Lol.
His name is Buddy!! Also, not sure if I’m over watering or under watering. Wondering why the pads I guess they are called are curving, as you can see in the pictures? I have had it 2-3 months, and all the new pads were not there. It is thriving like crazy, but worried about the pads curling? Live in upstate NY and have watered it 3 times I think and has been replanted to a larger pot 2 months ago. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you Albert.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This is normal. They can take all kinds of crazy shapes. It can indicate that the pH is less than ideal, but feeding with a cactus feed one or twice per year, at the least, will help keep things good in the soil.
Be very wary when watering. Potting up to a larger pot carries the risk of soil that remains wet for too long. Be sure that the soil dries out, thoroughly, between waterings, and ensure that the container has holes to allow all extra water to leave, freely.
Opuntia is a very large genus. Pinning down an exact cultivar will be next to impossible without sending it to a genealogy lab. Fortunately, almost all of them have the exact same care.
This collection of articles will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/prickly-pear
