Miqueliopuntia miquelii

Water:

April-September: 1 x every 2 weeks*

October-March: 1x per month *

*This is only for a sunny location

Light: sunny

Nutrition: 1x per month (May-September)

The Miqueliopuntia miquelii is a truly unique Opuntia species that occurs naturally in a large area in the north of Chile. Here the Miqueliopuntia miquelii grows in desert areas in different soil mixtures. The Miqueliopuntia miquelii can withstand extreme heat and little water.

The Miqueliopuntia miquelii has a beautiful blue color. The newly grown leaves are first bright green in color when they are growing. Then when they have grown they turn the beautiful blue color. The spines of the Miqueliopuntia miquelii are very sharp, can grow up to 5 cm long and have a light white-yellow color. The Miqueliopuntia miquelii grows very slowly and only produces a few new leaves per year. However, over time, the Miqueliopuntia miquelii can grow into a large shrub of 1.5 to 2 meters high.

Getting the Miqueliopuntia miquelii to bloom is quite a challenge. Usually the Miqueliopuntia miquelii only starts to bloom after a few decades. Some Miqueliopuntia miquelii plants only started flowering for the first time after 50 years. Yet when the Miqueliopuntia miquelii starts to bloom you will really be rewarded. Beautiful white to white-pink flowers, up to 8 cm in size, grow from the top of the leaf.