This is an amazing purple dwarf cactus that is so fun to have in your collection. Opuntia x basilaris 'Santa Rita Baby' is a rare dwarf cactus that fluctuates between blue, aqua, and purple coloration throughout the year. It gets its most intense purple coloration in winter.
During it's Spring growth season, it blooms pink and fuchsia flowers prolifically. The new growth at this time is blue-gray to aqua-blue. *Flower picture is for reference, to show color of blooms. Pads will likely not have flower buds at the time of shipping.
This small hybrid cactus has a high heat tolerance in the summer and is relatively frost-hardy in the winter.
This listing is for a set of three unrooted cactus pads, which are at least 1-2" each.
Important: These cactus pads are not rooted.
You will receive Rare purple dwarf prickly pear cactus - Santa Rita 'Baby' - cactus pads that you can root by planting in cactus soil). These turn some gorgeous purple colors in fall and winter (. Blooms beautiful fuschia flowers.
This dwarf cactus gets 1-2’ tall and 3-4’ wide, when planted in-ground. If planted in a container, the cactus size will be more contained. Pads can be removed to start new plants or keep cactus pruned.
This rare cactus plant turns a deep purple in cold temperatures or extensive sun exposure. Great potted plant - have mine in a pot, even here in the Southwest.
Tips for Rooting Opuntia Cactus Pads
Pads should be planted in the dirt on a warm day, after they have fully calloused (the wound has dried over where they were cut).
Handling tips: Wet the pad before planting (keeps the tiny hair-like prickers from flying) and use kitchen tongs - with rubber covers over the tips - to handle the pads without scarring them while repotting.
Plant Details and Tips for Proper Care. Research and observe your plant. Adjust these tips as your zone and plant requires. | |
GROWING SEASONS: | Fall, Spring and Summer |
DORMANT SEASON: | Winter |
USDA Hardiness Zones: | 6 - 11 (-10 °F to 50 °F) |
PROPAGATION: | Cuttings or occasional seeds. |
LIGHT: | Full Sun *Transition your plant to sun slowly after transplanting. A few days of bright shade / filtered light and then gradually introduce small amounts of morning sun. |
WATER: | Water when soil is dry to the touch. Will require less water when dormant. Take care not to overwater. |
Your succulent will be wrapped with care and shipped with extra padding in the box. Plants can take 1-5 days to prep for shipping and weather can impact the prep time. We ship as quickly as is safe for your plant.
If you will be experiencing below freezing temperatures, please add a heat pack to your order.
Hi and welcome! We hope to add some plant joy to your life!
SHIPPING
- Live plants take 3-5 days to prepare for shipping.
- We are currently shipping Monday-Friday.
- It is safe to ship in winter, however we do recommend adding a heat pack if you are experiencing extended freezing temperatures. Heat packs must be added for cold climates Nov - Mar to qualify for the guarantee.
Priority Mail is recommended and guaranteed for all live plant shipments and especially all Hoya shipments. It is faster and the optimal method for shipping. Orders that qualify for free shipping ship via Priority Mail. [[[
READ SHIPPING POLICY & THE HAPPYZENSE GUARANTEE HERE
HOW YOUR PLANT LOOKS
We can not guarantee that your plant will be in bloom or display the same colors as those pictured. Please allow for some variance amongst live plants. Coloration is determined by individual plant, season, environment and/or care conditions (and even your computer monitor can effect appearance of plants in pictures). Note that our photos were also take under ideal natural lighting conditions.
SHIPPING ADDRESS
Carefully check the shipping address you have selected before placing your order. We ship to the shipping address provided. We cannot be responsible for errors or wrong shipping addresses provided with the order.
**Shipping costs are determined by weight and plant size. We do everything we can to keep shipping costs to a minimum for you, ensure our item weight and sizes are correct, and combine for you whenever possible.
Please note we cannot guarantee plant identifications. We give our best effort at accuracy.
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