Opuntia monacantha f. maverick variegata commonly known as “Joseph's Coat” is one of the very few naturally occurring white-variegated cacti. It is a dwarf, teratological variant of the larger Prickly Pear cactus Opuntia monacantha. As its name suggests, this cactus is variegated or marbled with white, creamy-white, yellow, green and sometimes also with pink in varying patterns.
Habit: It is an odd shrubby or tree-like plant that forms wonderfully tortured shapes usually less than 50 cm tall, but occasionally up to 1 m or more metres tall. To many it looks stretched or etiolated due to lack of light, but its actually a monstrous form.
Common names: Dildo, Eltham Indian Fig, Pak'an, Sweet Prickly Pear, Joseph's Coat
Stem: Long, smooth, flattened beautifully green, yellow and pink covered in tiny hair spines.
Flowers: Small red.
Watering: Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer (it is more demanding than other cactus), but do not overwater, keep dry in winter at a minimum temperature of 5°C. Its roots are easily lost in pots that stay damp for any length of time. Keep dry with ample airflow in winter. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!! Care must be taken with watering as they tends to become swollen and untidy in growth habit if given too much water and shade.
Fertilization: During the growing season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.
Hardiness: It is a tropical plant quite sensitive to frost that need some warmth throughout the year (minimum 5° to 8°C during rest season).
Exposition: Outside filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, but tolerate bright sun too, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long during the hottest hours in mid summer.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
| Blooming Season | spring and summer |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Joseph's Coat |
| Dormancy | - |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower | yellow |
| Frost Tolerance | 5°C |
| Growth Rate | Fast growth |
| Hardiness Zone | 9a-10b |
| Height | 6ft |
| Origin | brazil |
| Pot Size | 3.5" |
| Scientific Name | Opuntia maverick variegata |
| Shape | columnar |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |