Consolea rubescens aka ‘Road Kill Cactus’. Cuttings

Consolea rubescens, Opuntia guanicana, Consolea guanicana, Cactus rubescens

Road Kill Cactus, Sour Pricklypear

Cactaceae

Optunia rubescens is indigenous to the Caribbean Islands.

Three Cuttings

10-20’

5-10’

25 to 30°F; -3.9 to -1.1°C

Very high heat tolerance.

Full sun to partial sun in hot dry climates.

Drought tolerant but best with deep irrigation every week or so in summer. It can take more frequent watering in quick draining soils. O. rubescens also likes more humidity than many western cacti and it will require more frequent watering in a container depending on its size.

Prune to shape as desired.

O. rubescens is a nice tree cactus for larger cactus and succulent gardens. It makes a nice specimen plant with its interesting flattened pads.

This optunia can be grown from seed or leaf or stem cuttings. Allow cuttings to callus over before planting them.

Rare problems with scale insects and fugal rots after a damaging frost.

This cactus species has green to dark green stem pads which are very thin, appearing flattened, hence the common name 'Road Kill Cactus'. Looking a bit like a comical cardboard cutout of a cactus, O. rubescens eventually becomes a large shrub or small tree with a trunk up to one foot in diameter and stem pads that thicken with age. Individual stem pads average 12" to 15" long by 4" wide, but are initially only 1/2" to 3/4" thick. The pads are covered with small sharp glochids (minute spines) and care should be taken when handling this cactus. It blooms in summer with double yellow to orange flowers, which are followed by red fruit.