26 May 2008
Puna clavarioides
Posted by Stuart under: Cacti; Propagation .
It’s always nice when cuttings announce the fact that they’ve rooted.
I was given a decent sized piece of Puna clavarioides before Christmas, which is showing signs of taking up water, but obviously hasn’t developed enough root to really fill out yet.
However, this little chap broke off the larger cutting, and by contrast is well away now. After months of gradually losing weight the body is firm and plump, and clearly responding to water quite happily. And, most importantly, it’s very firm in the pot.
5 Comments so far...
Aiyana Says:
26 May 2008 at 10:00 am.
I’ve never heard of this genus. I just Googled it, and saw some really weird Puna species. In all the cactus shows I’ve attended, books I have, or cactus nurseries, I’ve never run into this genus before. Where did you get your specimen?
Aiyana
Stuart Says:
26 May 2008 at 11:17 am.
It used to be known as Opuntia clavarioides, Aiyana. There were three species of Puna: P. clavarioides with these distinctive club-shaped joints, P. subterranea, and P. bonnieae, which is probably the most beautiful of the three.
The recent round of reclassifications has seen clavarioides and subterranea reclassified as Maihueniopsis, and bonnieae as a Tephrocactus.
I was given this plant by a fellow member of the BCSS. It does turn up in nurseries, certainly over here and in Europe. I don’t know how easy it would be for you to get hold of it.
Aiyana Says:
29 May 2008 at 5:47 am.
Thanks for the info. I’m familiar with Maihueniopsis and Tephrocactus, so I’ll look for these next time I go to a cactus nursery. I’m curious as to whether they have them classified this way.
Aiyana
Stuart Says:
30 May 2008 at 7:21 am.
I’ve just remembered that Mesa Garden have got Puna subterranea seed if you’re feeling ambitious!
Josh Says:
5 August 2008 at 12:32 am.
Mesagarden also carries puna clavarioides in their plants section, I got mine from them about a year ago. It sulked from mid-summer until spring, then grew a fair amount in early summer.