Cylindropuntia imbricata

Cylindropuntia imbricata (syn. opuntia imbricata) is a quite astonishing prickly pear cactus native to the deserts of North America. It is both hardy and drought-resistant. This strange cactus is a cousin of the Prickly Pear, but unlike it, it develops cylindrical and not flat bosselated articles. Armed with long white prickles, this curious bush with a glaucous colour, blooms in early summer with ephemeral and delicate fuchsia-pink flowers with a slightly violet heart. Its growth is rapid, and its cultivation in rocky and well-draining soil poses no problem. Surprising in a minimalist decor, spectacular against a backdrop of rocks and blue sky, it naturally structures exotic, contemporary, and of course dry and wild gardens.

Cylindropuntia imbricata is a succulent plant devoid of leaves from the cactus family. This botanical species is native to the arid regions of northern Mexico and southwestern USA, where it grows at altitudes between 1200 and 2300m (3937 and 7546ft). This cactus forms a bushy and slightly spreading plant after a few years. An adult specimen can reach 2 to 3m (7 to 10ft) in all directions under favourable conditions, usually 1m (3ft) in cooler climates. The vegetation consists of a trunk that can reach 25cm (10in) in diameter over time, dividing into main branches called articles, in the form of long cylinders measuring 1 to 3cm (0.4 to 1in) in diameter. Their greyish-green surface is lumpy and adorned with oval-shaped protrusions. They are abundantly covered with long barbed prickles measuring 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in), called glochids, grouped in tufts. These spines are very dangerous when handling. During the abundant flowering in June, floral articles appear at the end of the branches, bearing several pink-violet flowers in cups measuring 5cm (2 in) in diameter, centred around a yellow stamen heart. The flowers give way to smooth fruits that remain green throughout the winter and turn yellow when ripe in spring before falling off. Occasionally, parts of the plant fall to the ground and easily take root upon contact with the soil. It is important to note that this plant, when it thrives, can become invasive through certain birds that consume its fruits and scatter the seeds randomly.

Cultivable in almost all regions, this cactus is hardy down to -15°C (5°F) without protection, in well-drained, rocky, stony, or sandy soil. It will find its place in a large rockery, a gravel bed, or at the borders of a dry garden, where its bushy and slightly twisted silhouette will stand out beautifully against a mineral and austere backdrop, populated with some grasses, agaves, Hesperaloe parviflora, and small creeping and hardy prickly pears like Opuntia humifosa. It can be planted with the Prickly Pear, giant fennel, the quite hardy columnar cacti (Cleistocactus strausii), and viper's bugloss from the Canary Islands in mild climates. This Cylindropuntia can also be cultivated in a pot on a terrace, carefully choosing the sunniest spot to recreate a decor inspired by the blooming deserts at the end of the world.