Cylindropuntia ramosissima are some spectacular looking sets of plants which many people tend to grow.
They go by the common names called Diamond cholla, branched pencil cholla. They would usually grow in volcanic soil, and they are naïve plants to the Senora desert of California USA and to Mexico as well.
The unique looks of the Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants make them an excellent choice for freshers in gardening as they require only a minimum care treatment from you.
So, if you are excited to discover these beauties, keep reading this article. So. Let’s discover the Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants.
How do I identify Cylindropuntia ramosissima?
They usually form as decumbent plants. They would erect and grow like trees as well. Cylindropuntia ramosissim would be about 2m – 6m at maturity.
Further they consist of narrow branches too. Those branches would form in cylindrical segments. Those branches would emerge in green to gray. Cylindropuntia ramosissima may also consist of few spines and no spines.
Further chances are that they may carry one single long straight spine too. In addition to that they emerge flowers in orange, pink or brownish colors.
They would flower in spring and in summer. Cylindropuntia ramosissima blooms are small in size. Apart from that, these plants produce some fruit items as well.
Those fruits are small, dry, and spiny. They would be about 2 cm in length.
One look care guide
| Botanical Name | Cylindropuntia ramosissima |
| Common Name | Diamond cholla, branched pencil cholla |
| Plant Type | Cactus |
| Mature Size | Maximum height of 2m-6m. |
| Sun Exposure | Full sunlight |
| Soil Type | Sandy, well-draining |
| Soil pH | 6.0 -7.5 |
| Bloom Time | Spring summer |
| Flower Color | Orange pink or brownish colors |
| Hardiness Zones | USDA hardiness zones 9a-11b -6.7 °C (20 F) |
| Native Area | Mexico, USA |
| Toxicity | No record |
| Average price | $ 12 |
How do you take care of Cylindropuntia ramosissima?
Light Requirement
They prefers to grow closer to a bright sunny window when you cultivate them indoors.
However, you need to place them at least one foot away from the windows so that it would maximize the potential for growth.
If you grow them too close to the bright sunny windows, chances are that it may result in scorches in the plants.
Keep in mind that you need to provide adequate sunlight for the plants as they cannot survive in the low light levels.
On the other hand, they would prefer to grow them outdoors, you need to select a place where they can absorb full sunlight in the morning.
They would opt to grow in partial shade during the rest of the day. It is noteworthy to mention, if you have grown them as indoor plants for some time and wish to bring them outdoors, you need to do it gradually where you do not expose the plants to full sunlight abruptly.
Temperature and humidity
Cylindropuntia ramosissima would grow well in warmer temperatures. They would not tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
To be precise, Cylindropuntia ramosissima would tolerate a temperature range between 50 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cylindropuntia ramosissima used to grow in desert conditions and you need to mimic the same conditions when you cultivate them.
Having said that, Cylindropuntia ramosissima are hardy plants and they are not the type of plants which would easily kill with slight changes in weather. They can withstand periodical freezing temperatures and heat waves too.
Is it cold hardy?
Cylindropuntia ramosissima are cold hardy plants.
Growth Zone
Cylindropuntia ramosissima grow well in USDA hardiness zones 9a-11b -6.7 °C (20 F)
Watering Requirement
Cylindropuntia ramosissima will grow to their best potential if you look after them well. As such it is very important that you water them precisely so that they can grow healthily and vigorously.
Cylindropuntia ramosissima wants to have minimal water levels just like the rest of other succulents and cacti. Watering them to minimum levels is important to keep the plants healthy and happy.
Make sure that you do not leave them in waterlogged conditions. If you end up exposing them to soggy waterlogged conditions, it will result in over-watering and make the plants susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections.
Soil Requirement Type / pH.
Cylindropuntia ramosissima would grow well and perform to its best if you provide a soil mix which has an excellent drainage.
A sandy soil mix would work well with them as they have excellent drainage. Further the right ph. levels which would be optimal for the Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants’ healthy growth would be 6.0-7.5.
Many people prefer to go ahead with commercially made succulent cactus soil mix to grow them since they have an excellent drainage as well as a good aeration.
Once you provide a good aerating and a well-draining soil mix, it would ensure that there is less potential for root rot etc.
Pot size Potting and Repotting
You may consider repotting the Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants if you freshly purchase them from the shops further, I recommend conducting repotting once every two years in general.
If you keep growing the plants in the same soil mix forever, it is very unlikely that they can gain fresh nutrients as they would deplete as time passes.
Further when you repot the plants you have a thorough look at the plant to see whether they are growing healthy.
When it comes to selecting the right pot, I would suggest going ahead with a porous material so that it would allow the excess moisture to evaporate faster.
Where to Plant?
Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants have strong demand in terms of sunlight. As such you need to select a place where they can gain sufficient sunlight.
So, you can grow them in a garden given that the plants can get sufficient sunlight. It would be a great pick for outdoors if you live in aforesaid zones.
Flower
Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants come up with flowers in spring and summer. Those flowers would be orange, pink or brown in color.
Dormancy
Cylindropuntia ramosissima are winter dormant.
Common bugs and illnesses
They plants are prone to pest attacks particularly from aphids, mealybugs, scales and from mites.
These pests could be a real menace to handle, and they will tend to invade your precious plants if they find favorable conditions for them.
In addition to that, excess watering could also lead to root rot in the plants. Root rot is a disease which could even kill the plants.
Special Care tips
Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants are not fuzzy when it comes to care treatments.
In fact, they will thrive well if you neglect caring for them once or twice too. As such there are no special care tips which you need to practice when you look after them
How to propagate Cylindropuntia ramosissima
I suggest propagating the Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants by using seeds. You need to simply obtain the seeds from their ripened fruits and grow them in a well-draining soil mix.
Cylindropuntia ramosissima benefits
These plants are ideal for bird gardens. Further you could grow them as excellent indoor plants as well.
Conclusion
To wind up, Cylindropuntia ramosissima plants are such great plants to have and anybody would love to have them. So, I hope the details discussed in this article were helpful and now that you are confident in handling them.
Read Next : Cylindropuntia Acanthocarpa | A Thorny Dessert Cactus | Cylindropuntia Imbricata | Stunning Dessert Cactus |
