Opuntia 'Old Mexico'
Opuntia 'Old Mexico is a cold-hardy ornamental prickly pear grown under this name in the nursery trade. It is offered to cold-climate growers as a frost-tolerant selection for outdoor landscape use, forming clumps of flat, jointed pads. As with many trade names applied to hardy opuntias, its origin and parentage are not well documented, and plants sold under the name may not be uniform.
As a garden selection within the genus, its care follows that of the hardy Opuntia species; see that page for full cultivation guidance.
Description
'Old Mexico' is a spreading, clump-forming prickly pear built from the flattened, paddle-shaped pads (cladodes) typical of the genus. The pads are studded with areoles bearing spines and, as in all opuntias, tufts of tiny barbed glochids that detach at a touch — the feature that makes handling any prickly pear a careful business. In summer the plant produces the showy, cup-shaped flowers the group is known for, which may be followed by fleshy fruit.
Like many cold-hardy opuntias, the pads shrivel and lie low through winter, losing water so the plant can better tolerate freezing without the cell damage that destroys softer cacti. With the return of warmth and moisture in spring they plump back up and stand upright again. This seasonal deflation is normal and should not be mistaken for rot or dehydration in a plant that is struggling.
Cultivation
Cultivation is as for the hardy species of the genus — see Opuntia for the general approach. In short, 'Old Mexico' wants full sun and a very free-draining, gritty mix or a lean, sharply drained garden bed. Its winter hardiness depends heavily on staying dry: cold combined with wet soil is far more dangerous than cold alone, so a raised or slope-planted position that sheds water is helpful in climates with wet winters.
Water regularly through the growing season, then taper off in autumn to let the pads firm up and dehydrate naturally before the first freezes. Where the plant is grown outdoors near the edge of its hardiness, a sheltered position and excellent drainage make the difference between survival and loss. See Watering and Repotting for general technique, and always wear thick gloves — the glochids are the main hazard when planting or dividing.
Propagation
Like most prickly pears, 'Old Mexico' is easily propagated from pads. A detached pad left to callus for several days and then set on gritty soil will root readily in warmth — the standard, near-foolproof method for the group. See Propagation — cuttings for a full walkthrough. Vegetative propagation from pads keeps the plant true to the parent, whereas seed-raised plants may vary.
See also
- Opuntia — the genus overview and hardy-species care
- Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Pests and diseases