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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Opuntia tomentosa is an evergreen Perennial growing to 4.5 m (14ft) by 4.5 m (14ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Opuntia hernandezii A.P. de Candolle; Opuntia oblongata Wendland; Opuntia macdougaliana Rose; Opuntia icterica Griffiths; Opuntia sarca Griffiths ex Scheinvar.
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:
Edible Portion: Fruit. Fruits are eaten raw or made into jellies and jams that have a flavour like guava jelly. A succulent cactus chutney is made by mixing the fruit with raisins, apples, onions, lemon peel, dates, suger, vinegar, and spices [183]. larger fruit measure about two inches long or a little more. They are juicy and fairly sweet, though less tasty than some other kinds of prickly pears.
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
None Known
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Fencing Fodder
Carbon Farming Solutions - Agroforestry Services: living fence (Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland). Intercropped with other forage species like Mesquite (Prosopis SPP). Fodder: bank, insect.
Special Uses
Carbon Farming Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Agroforestry Services: Living fence Fodder: Bank Fodder: Insect Regional Crop
Climate: tropical, tropical highlands. Humidity: arid to semi-arid. It grows in deep soils where water is available. A succulent shrub, growing under desert and dry conditions. It grows in sandy, waste places. Pads are covered with tiny hairs, so that they feel like velvet or woolly. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1].
Carbon Farming
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Agroforestry Services: Living fence
Simply managed rows of shrubs and trees.
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Fodder: Bank
Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
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Fodder: Insect
Plants grown for useful fodder insects.
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Regional Crop
These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
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Plant Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in a very well-drained compost in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from winter wet. Make sure you have some reserve plants in case those outdoors do not overwinter. Cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. Remove a pad from the plant and then leave it in a dry sunny place for a couple of days to ensure that the base is thoroughly dry and has begun to callous. Pot up into a sandy compost. Very easy, rooting quickly.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Velvet Tree Pear, Velvet opuntia, Nopal de san gabriel, Tree pear
Native Range
NORTHERN AMERICA: Mexico, San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, México, SOUTHERN AMERICA: Guatemala,
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Velvety tree pear (Opuntia tomentosa) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Least Concern
Related Plants
|
Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
Cylindropuntia spp. | Cholla | Perennial | 2.0 |
8-12
| S | LMH | SN | D | 3 | 0 | 4 |
Opuntia compressa | Eastern Prickly Pear, Prickly Pear Cactus | Perennial | 0.2 |
8-10
| F | LM | N | D | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Opuntia dillenii | Dillen prickly pear, | Perennial | 1.0 |
10-12
| M | LM | N | DM | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Opuntia erinacea | Mojave Prickly Pear | Perennial | 0.5 |
8-11
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia ficus-indica | Prickly Pear, Barbary fig | Perennial | 5.0 |
8-11
| | LM | N | D | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Opuntia fragilis | Prickly Pear, Brittle pricklypear | Perennial | 0.1 |
7-10
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Opuntia howeyi | | Perennial | 0.0 |
-
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia imbricata | Tree Chola | Perennial | 3.0 |
8-11
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia littoralis | Western Prickly Pear | Perennial | 0.6 |
-
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia macrorhiza | Twist-Spine Prickly Pear | Perennial | 0.1 |
8-11
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia microdasys | Bunny Ears, Angel's-wings | Perennial | 0.6 |
7-10
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Opuntia phaeacantha | Bastard Fig, Tulip pricklypear | Perennial | 0.5 |
8-11
| | LM | N | D | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Opuntia polyacantha | Plains Prickly Pear, El Paso pricklypear, Grizzlybear pricklypear, Navajo Bridge pricklypear, Hairsp | Perennial | 0.2 |
3-7
| | LM | N | D | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Opuntia ramosissima | Branched Pencil Cholla | Perennial | 0.6 |
7-10
| | LM | N | D | 3 | 0 | 2 |
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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
Salm-Dyck
Botanical References
Links / References
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Subject : Opuntia tomentosa
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