Opuntia keyensis – Florida Keys Prickly Pear – 1 pad

Description

One pad (cladode) for rooting of Opuntia Keyensis, the Florida Keys prickly pear cactus.  Each pad is from my Fairchild Botanic Gardens museum-type specimen plants.   Found in hammocks near the ocean in the Keys and Cape Sable, it is Florida’s tallest prickly pear and can get to 9ft tall.  My larger tree specimen in these photos is about 7ft tall.  Flowers are a peach color, distinguishing it from the rest of Florida’s Opuntia species that have yellow flowers.  Fruit tastes like raspberries with a hint of beet.  Thrives in well-drained simulated Caribbean/Florida karst soil tri-mix with equal parts coarse Turface, thoroughly rinsed crushed limestone and humic cactus soil or potting soil ingredients.  It can’t take frost.  I have about 40 of these available and won’t have more for a couple of years.  No California sales – sorry.