Joseph's Coat

Family

Opuntia

Native

South America

Description

Opuntia monacantha f. monstruosa variegata commonly known as Joseph's Coat is one of the very few naturally occurring white-variegated cacti. It is a dwarf, teratological variant of the larger Prickly Pear cactus Opuntia monacantha. As its name suggests, this cactus is variegated or marbled with white, creamy-white, yellow, green and sometimes also with pink in varying patterns.

It is an odd shrubby or tree-like plant that forms wonderfully tortured shapes usually less than 50 cm tall, but occasionally up to 1 m or more metres tall. It looks stretched or etiolated due to lack of light, but its actually a monstrous form.

The stems are long, smooth, flattened beautifully green, yellow and pink covered in tiny hair spines and have a small red flower bloom.

Environment

Demands full light growing for most of the year, except during the winter cycle. For the plant's health, light should be reduced to partial sun during this time.

Opuntia is a desert species . Water the plant when the top one inch of soil is dry. Allow the water to drain out of the pot and remove any excess from the saucer. During fall and winter, water lightly only every 2- 3 weeks. Like most cacti, this specimen demands sandy soil-bases that drain easily

Feed Cactus monthly with low nitrogen fertilizer but it should stop one month before the planned winter cycle for the plant's health.

Landscape Uses

It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small.