OPUNTIA 



OPUNTIA 



1145 



flavored fruit, rarely eaten even by the Indians. O. Icevis 

 has one of the largest and most palatable fruits of any 

 of the species found growing wild within the United 

 States. This plant also has the advantage of having 

 but few spines. O, CamancJiica, O, Hafinesquii, O. 

 chlorotica, O. phceacantha and O. macrocentra have 

 medium-sized fruits, insipid and unpalatable to the cul- 

 tivated taste, but eaten by Indians and Mexicans. 



Wherever grown extensively, the Opuntia fruits are 

 used for making a weak alcoholic drink. The juices of 

 the highly colored sorts are sometimes used to color 

 confectionery. 



OpuHtiax as Forage. Many of the Opuntias have 

 considerable forage value, particularly during periods 

 of long drought when other forage crops are short. 

 The range cattle of the southwestern United States feed 

 on either the branches or fruits, or both, of nearly all 

 the indigenous species, the flat stems of O. Engelmanuii 

 and the pendulous fruit clusters of O. fulgida being most 

 largely consumed. When cattle feed largely upon spiny 

 Opuntias the spines and bristles often collect in their 

 stomachs, forming large phyto-bezoars. During years 

 of scarcity of other forage, thousands of cattle die in 

 Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, where the cause as- 

 signed is starvation, when in reality the direct cause of 

 death has been the perforation of the alimentary canal 

 by the numerous spines of Opuntias. 



In northern Africa the flat joints of the forms with 

 few spines are used as forage for cattle during the dry 

 season, after being allowed to ferment slightly. In 

 Tunis, plantations are sustained by dairymen for the 

 purpose of feeding their cows upon the fleshy stems. 



O. Tuna has run wild to a remarkable extent in south- 

 ern Africa. It has spread rapidly during the past cen- 

 tury, and in many places has crowded out the grasses 

 and become a nuisance. Two forms of the plant are 

 recognized by the Dutch farmers; viz., a thorny variety 

 growing on the open country and on stony hillsides 

 known as Doornblad, and a fewer-spined larger variety 

 with thicker stems known as Kaalblad. It is probable 

 that these two varieties originated from the same intro- 

 duction, for, according to Mr. Macdonald, the seed from 

 the Doornblad or Kaalblad variety may give rise to 

 plants resembling either or both of them. It is exten- 

 sively used as feed for cattle, ostriches and pigs, either 

 alone or when mixed with other forage. Here, however, 

 much harm has come from range cattle eating it in 

 times of little or no other forage, and ostriches become 

 blind from the spines and bristles getting into their 

 eyes in eating the fruits. 



In New South Wales and Australia, where several 

 species have escaped from cultivation and spread over 

 large areas of arable land and driven out more valuable 

 forage plants, the land has depreciated 50 per cent in 

 value. Here, however, some of the worthless species, 

 such as O. viilgaris and O. monacantha, are more 

 widely spread than the more valuable varieties of O. 

 Ficus-Indica and O. Tuna. 



Possible Improvement of Present Varieties. From 

 what has been said it may be seen, first, that varieties 

 of O. Ficus-Indica and O. Tuna produce large crops of 

 edible and nutritious fruits; second, that plants with 

 few or no spines are the general rule in O. Ficus-Indica 

 and of not infrequent occurrence in O. Tuna ; third, 

 that Opuntias are strong, vigorous plants that will grow 

 in situations in which few other plants will thrive ; fourth, 

 that spineless forms make valuable forage. 



With these and more qualities to recommend them, it 

 yet remains for horticultural enterprise to develop a 

 spineless and bristleless variety that will not only be of 

 value for forage but will produce large crops of fruits 

 as attractive to the educated palate as to the savage. 

 Prom the experience gained in establishing a garden of 

 nearly 70 species and varieties of Opuntias, comprising 

 about .300 plants, and watching their growth and be- 

 havior for several years, the writer believes that they 

 offer great possibilities in the way of improvement in 

 the hands of a careful plant-breeder. j. w. TOUMEY. 



Hardy Opuntias satisfy a rather general desire for 

 something unique or grotesque, while at the same time 

 they possess enough ornamental value to recommend 

 them to everyone, and especially to those lovers of cac- 

 taceous and succulent plants whose space indoors is 



limited. Being natives of the western plains and foot- 

 hills of the mountains, they can scarcely suffer from 

 long-continued drought, and the sunny side of the 

 rockery will suit them exactly, as it will allow all sur- 

 plus moisture to drain off, and no artificial watering 

 will be necessary. Mr. William Falconer, who has used 

 large quantities at Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pa., 

 writes as follows: "In certain localities, as on bleak, 

 exposed banks and about rocky knolls, Opuntias and 

 Yucca angustifolia can be used unsparingly with per- 

 fect success." He also says, "All have been planted out- 

 of-doors, remaining unprotected summer and winter, 

 and all have been perfectly hardy." They have suc- 

 ceeded also at Kew Gardens, in the very humid climate 

 of England, without protection. Their requirements 

 seem to be as follows: a porous, well-drained soil, a 

 sunny exposure, and a season long enough in which to 

 ripen the fruit and annual growth; these conditions 

 being complied with, they will endure almost any degree 

 of cold to be experienced even in the most northern 

 portions of the U. S. Their altitude-limit in Colorado 

 indicates that they will succeed as far north as Indian 

 corn can be matured. The following kinds have been 

 used successfully, as above indicated: O. arenaria, 

 with small, round to oblong, very spiny joints, the 

 spines varying much in color from gray and straw color 

 to purplish brown. O. arborescens, the Tree or Cande- 

 labrum Cactus, the tallest of this list, is of cylindrical 

 branching growth, with bright purple flowers and yellow 

 fruit. O. Camanchica has very large, orbicular joints, 

 the upper half thickly beset with spines, fruit purple. 

 O. fragilis resembles O. arenaria, but is smaller. O. 

 mesacantha includes a multitude of forms, all of which 

 are very hardy. O. phceacantha, var. major, is one of 

 the most striking sorts, with immense, glaucous joints, 

 dark purple spines, yellow flowers, and purple fruit. 

 O.polycantha is one of the most variable, as well as one 

 of the most showy. The spines vary from ivory white 

 to purple and brown, and from short and stout to long 

 and slender. Nearly all the Opuntias have very showy 

 flowers, usually in various shades of yellow and orange. 



D. M. ANDREWS. 



In the following synopsis it has not been possible in 

 all instances to group the species so as to show re- 

 lationships. A purely artificial key has not been at- 

 tempted, as the species at best are separated by a great 

 variety of characters. It will be seen that the list runs 

 to 61 species, or practically half of all the known kinds. 

 It will be noted, also, that a large part of the species in 

 the trade are from Mexico and other southern regions. 

 The Cochineal plant, often referred to Opuntia, must be 

 sought under Nopalea. For the relationship of Opuntias 

 to other cactaceous plants, and for additional hints on 

 culture, see the article Cactus in Vol. I. 



