Hardy Tropicals UK

Anyone grow this beauty?

http://opuntiads.com/opuntia-country/op ... len-10.jpg

It's called Opuntia Santa rita (purple?)

I think it's a form of Opuntia violacea of which I have a couple Kris. I could chop a bit off for you but best done after winter. One of my plants does go quite purple in winter but it's usually an equally striking glaucous blue. It's as cold hardy as you like but would probably need some kind of rain shelter. There are more wet tolerant opuntias and quite a few go a purple colour in winter.

I've been sent a dozen or so pieces of different outdoor growing opuntias by a very nice chap in the Doncaster/Sheffield area which I'm growing on a bit before I plant out next year.

Link won't open - access denied.

I think the pic has gone but there's another:

http://www.opuntiads.com/images/opuntia ... a-dbg1.jpg

The one I bought labeled as 'Santa Rita' died in very light frost.

Cheers, Barrie.

JoelR wrote:I think it's a form of Opuntia violacea of which I have a couple Kris. I could chop a bit off for you but best done after winter. One of my plants does go quite purple in winter but it's usually an equally striking glaucous blue. It's as cold hardy as you like but would probably need some kind of rain shelter. There are more wet tolerant opuntias and quite a few go a purple colour in winter.

I've been sent a dozen or so pieces of different outdoor growing opuntias by a very nice chap in the Doncaster/Sheffield area which I'm growing on a bit before I plant out next year.

I might have to pop round next Spring Joel

Yorkshire Kris wrote:

JoelR wrote:I think it's a form of Opuntia violacea of which I have a couple Kris. I could chop a bit off for you but best done after winter. One of my plants does go quite purple in winter but it's usually an equally striking glaucous blue. It's as cold hardy as you like but would probably need some kind of rain shelter. There are more wet tolerant opuntias and quite a few go a purple colour in winter.

I've been sent a dozen or so pieces of different outdoor growing opuntias by a very nice chap in the Doncaster/Sheffield area which I'm growing on a bit before I plant out next year.

I might have to pop round next Spring Joel

You're very welcome Kris.

Las Palmas Norte wrote:The one I bought labeled as 'Santa Rita' died in very light frost.

Cheers, Barrie.

I have a purple one as well that I thought was Santa Rita, and was supposed to be hardy to -18C, but took a huge hit left out in winter 2009/10 with -5.6C. I dug it out and has taken 2 years to recover in the Polytunnel.

Last one in stock!

http://www.opuntias.co.uk/prestashop/pr ... roduct=825

Unrooted though.

Just found a nice Opuntia violacea seedling pic. No purple pads as not yet been exposed to cold. This particular plant is unusually fast growing with an upright habit. Grown a lot bigger since this pic was taken.

JoelR wrote:Just found a nice Opuntia violacea seedling pic. No purple pads as not yet been exposed to cold. This particular plant is unusually fast growing with an upright habit. Grown a lot bigger since this pic was taken.

Looks very good Joel.