Aubers prickly pear (Opuntia auberi)
Care, watering, light and tips for Aubers prickly pear on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Cactaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 14 days
- Light: Full sun
- Temperature: 10–40 °C
About Aubers prickly pear
Opuntia auberi, also known as Nopal de Lengüita, is a fast-growing columnar cactus featuring flattened, fleshy stems that give it a sculptural appearance. Its vibrant green pads may develop small spines and glochids. It is ideal for desert gardens, rockeries, or as a focal plant in large pots, adding an exotic and architectural touch.
Native range
Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico) and Lesser Antilles
Care tips
It requires full sun for optimal growth and abundant flowering. Watering should be moderate in summer, allowing the substrate to dry out completely between waterings, and very scarce or none in winter. It prefers a well-draining, sandy, or cactus-specific substrate, and the most common mistake to avoid is overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
How to save a dying Aubers prickly pear
- Warning signs
- Soft stems, basal rot, dark spots, yellowish or whitish discoloration.
- First aid
- Immediately remove from substrate, cut soft parts with clean knife. Let air dry for several days.
- What kills it
- Overwatering and poor drainage. Doesn't need much water, especially in winter.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if rot hasn't progressed far. Healthy cuttings can also root.