Looking at Plants

Opuntia monacantha var. variegata

COMMON NAMES

Joseph’s Coat, Sweet Prickly Pear, Irish Mittens, Variegated Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia (oh-PUN-she-uh) – from the Greek name for succulent plants from Opous, Boeotia

monacantha (mon-ah-KAN-tha) – with single spines

var. – variety

variegata – (vayr-ee-GAY-tuh) – variegated; said to be a naturally occurring variant of Opuntia monocantha

Note: There is a great deal of confusion with this plant with a host of other names to be found. The pictures were taken from a plant growing at a fairly knowledgeable source, but all aspects of the plant, such as flowering and fruiting, have not yet been observed, so this profile will be updated when it becomes a little clearer.

GROUP 

Dicot

FAMILY  

Cactaceae

ORIGIN

North and South America

DESCRIPTION

Joseph’s Coat is a dwarf evergreen cactus shrub that averages 3 feet in height with comparable spread. It has an irregular form with sharply spined leaves and a profuse branching habit. It has a relatively fast growth rate.

Leaves (actually inconspicuous – the pads are modified stems) are evergreen, flattened and smooth pads with tiny spines, succulent, and variegated in color with creamy/white, green, yellow, and sometimes pink. It has jointed stems.

HARDINESS

It is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. It has excellent heat tolerance.

LIGHT

Full sun; it tolerates partial light shade

SALT

Moderate Salt Spray Tolerance – it will tolerate some spray, but it is best to have more protection such as a fence or building as an additional barrier behind the first row of plantings or the first dunes.

SOIL

It will grow on a wide variety of well-drained soils in a preferred pH range of 6.0 to 7.5. It doesn’t like wet soils.

WATERING

It has very good drought tolerance once established, so minimal watering is needed for survival in dry spells.

PROPAGATION

Woody stem cuttings or pads

PRUNING

Fortunately, little is ever required, because it is quite dangerous with the spines.

FERTILIZING

It has no special fertilizer needs. Unless a soil test suggests otherwise, a slow-release balanced analysis fertilizer applied per the product label will work. Northern zones should cut way back on the nitrogen in the fall so it has time to harden off.

PESTS

Cactus Bug - University of Florida

Cactus Weevil - University of Florida

Cactus Moth - University of Florida

DISEASES

Root Rots - University of Wisconsin            in overly wet soils

DEER

Resistant

There are very few totally “deer-proof” plants. There are also, relatively speaking, few plants that are considered a preferred food supply of deer. Most plants fall in the big gap between. One of the biggest variables is the available preferred food supply in a given area. If their preferred food is scarce, they will munch on most anything, though the spines of the prickly pear make it less likely to be a problem.

OTHER

Don’t plant near traffic areas where the spines would be an issue – in some areas, they are actually planted as a live fence or barricade.

USES

Xeriscaping, rock gardens, specimen plant

TOXICITY

A search of California Poison Control, Texas A&M University, Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System, University of Wisconsin, Poisonous Houseplants and Ornamentals - Merck Vet Manual, Purdue University - Guide to Toxic Plants in Forages, Poisonous Plants of the Southeastern United States - Alabama Cooperative Extension, Florida Poison Control, and The Cat Fanciers Association did not show this plant on any of their lists.

ASPCA lists Opuntia spp. as non-toxic to dogs and cats.

North Carolina State University says: Poison Part: Glochids (minute bristle-like, barbed hairs in clusters) on the stems (green, thickened stems resemble leaves). - Poison Delivery Mode: Ingestion; splinter-like small infection due to glochids lodged in the skin, eye irritation. - Symptoms: Painful skin and eye irritation following contact; internal effects in diabetics from ingestion. - Toxic Principle: Unknown; possibly mechanical effect of glochids. - Severity: CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION SEVERE!