With cacti and succulents, you have many design options and they are also economical in terms of water consumption
It's not quite right to talk about prickly cacti these days. A wide variety of cultivated and even thornless plants are now also available in Spanish and European garden centers. Our garden expert from Can Juanito introduces a few of these prickly or …loose specimens and explains how to care for them.
Xerophytes are plants with very low water requirements. They are therefore ideal for dry climates or climates with long dry periods. They are easy to care for and very well suited to our island climate. At the same time, they can create wonderful landscapes with contrasts thanks to their wealth of varieties and species.
These plants include the cacti (cactus plants) and the Crassulaceae. Although both species share the CAM metabolism (they photorespire at night to conserve water), the main difference lies in the way they store water and the presence of spines. The common characteristic for their care is that they require good drainage for proper growth, as they do not tolerate waterlogging of their roots. They can withstand direct sunlight and reproduce by cuttings, i.e. asexually.
In this article we will focus on cacti, although we will also mention some very well adapted succulents.
Among the cacti, these varieties are very well adapted to Mallorca:
1. TRICHOCERERUS PASACANA
It tolerates temperatures down to -8°. It grows very slowly and gives us its striking white flowers between April and June.
2. PACHYCEREUS PRINGLEY
In this case, it can withstand temperatures of up to 0°. It grows somewhat faster than its predecessor and blooms between June and August with beautiful white flowers. It can grow up to 20 meters high, a magnificent specimen.
3. CEPHALOCEREUS SENILIS
This "hairy" cactus tolerates temperatures down to -2°C. It grows very slowly and the leaves are white and yellow and bloom in midsummer.
4. MYRTILLOCACTUS GEOMETRIZANS
It has a medium growth rate and tolerates temperatures of up to 2°C. Its flowers are also white and it is one of the earliest bloomers as it flowers between April and May.
It is one of the most resistant plants – in this case, the plant can withstand temperatures of up to -10°C.
It has a medium growth and a special red flower that starts in March and lasts until May.
6th ECHINOCACTUS GRUSONII
This beautiful, round cactus with its distinctive spines can withstand temperatures of up to -5°C. It has a medium growth habit and blooms between April and June with small white flowers.
Another round shape that can withstand temperatures of at least 2°C. In this case it grows slowly and its striking orange flowers can be seen between March and September. Among the succulents (they store water in their leaves), these species do very well in our Mediterranean climate and are already established in many places.
8. ALOE DICHOTOMA AND ALOE VERA
They can withstand temperatures as low as 0°C, grow slowly and reproduce by offspring that grow from the ground around them. They have yellow and reddish flowers that can be seen between January and March. Their juice has many medicinal properties, both internally as a digestive and externally as a soothing and regenerating agent.
9. AGAVE FEROX
It tolerates a minimum temperature of -5°C and has a medium growth rate. It only flowers once in its life and has yellow leaves, from which the well-known sugar substitute syrup is obtained.
10. EUPHORBIA INGENS
Perhaps this succulent needs the highest minimum temperature for good development (8°C). It has a medium growth habit and yellow leaves.
At Can Juanito we help you choose the right plant that best suits your tastes and needs.
We would like to thank the cactus and succulent producer Toni Moreno from Ses Salines for providing us with specific information about these wonderful plants.
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Can Juanito
Son Ferriol, Palma
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