Does anyone have Opuntia experience?

[F R e N c H 3 z]

I have some Opuntia (prickly pear) seeds but have no idea if these need stratification or any pre-treatments.
I've read that they do need pre-treatment on some sites and that they dont on other sites. So far I've sanded down a few seeds to partly remove the exterior of the seed to allow easier water access.

Is a media of pure sand ok for these?


Thanks for any info.

 

[Lil Stinkpot]

I don't think they need stratifying, but try half, and see what happens.

I think sand will be just fine.

 

[terrestrial_man]

Check out this link:
http://www.bennyskaktus.dk/propagat_UK.htm#pediocactus_seeds

 

[SDCPs]

may want some organic matter in there also. Need to retain a little water. I find that cactus grow fine in a wide range of soil (from seed).

 

[Ngantnier]

And Opuntia grow basically everywhere that's well drained, they grow all over at my house in Missouri.

 

[swords]

My best success with cacti & lithops seed was to surface sow on saturated Shultz APS and then put it in a ziplock baggie. Where I screwed up was slowly opening the bag to acclimate the seedlings to standard house humidity 20%. I thought I was removing the bag slowly but maybe not slow enough or perhaps I did not water enough for them when the bag was finally coming off.

 

[rattler]

with Opuntia it prolly depends what species and where its from as far as stratification......they range from tropical climates to well north of me......

 

[F R e N c H 3 z]

with Opuntia it prolly depends what species and where its from as far as stratification......they range from tropical climates to well north of me......

It's from the produce section at Meijer's

I gave up on these a while back though.