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Useful Temperate Plants

Maihuenia poeppigii

(Otto ex Pfeiff.) F.A.C.Weber

Cactaceae

+ Synonyms

Maihuenia philippii F.A.C.Weber

Opuntia maihuen Gay.

Opuntia poeppigii Otto ex Pfeiff.

Pereskia philippii F.A.C.Weber

Pereskia poeppigii Salm-Dyck

Common Name: Maihuén

No Image.

General Information

Maihuenia poeppigii is a spiny, succulent, evergreen, low-growing cactus with small, persistent leaves and a fleshy taproot 40 - 80cm long. The plant can form a mat of growth up to 10cm high and 200cm wide[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is often cultivated as an ornamental, being one of the few cactus species that can withstand standing snow for several months of the year[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
Maihuenia poeppigii is widespread, locally abundant, and in the majority of its range there are no threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..

Range

S. America - southern Argentina to central Chile

Habitat

Araucaria forest in relatively humid zones in the border of subantarctic regions, often in volcanic soils; at elevations from near sea level to 2,000 metres[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height0.10 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Maihuenia poeppigii is one of the most cold-tolerant species in the family Cactaceae, and is known to tolerate temperatures falling as low as -15°c, perhaps even down to -20°c. It grows in the temperate zome of Chile and southern Argentina, with its range including mountainous areas that can be covered by snow for several months of the winter. It is found in humid areas of Chile, where it can rain at almost any part of the year, as well as in drier regions where there is a dry period of 3 - 5 months. Rainfall is concentrated in the winter months, with a mean annual precipitation in the range 400 - 800mm[[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
An easy plant to grow, it requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
A relatively fast-growing plant, it can begin fruiting in just a few years from seed[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
,
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. The obovate to club shaped fruits are around 5 - 6cm long[
1987
Title
The Cactus Family
Publication
 
Author
Anderson E.F.
Publisher
Timber Press; Portland, Oregon
Year
2001
ISBN
0-88192-498-9
Description
An excellent work, giving botanical descriptions of virtually all the cacti, together with their range (but not their habitats) and sometimes also a photo. it also contains a long chapter detailing the many uses of cacti and another on cultivation..
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - requires a period of cold stratification[
330
Title
ChileFlora
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Maihuenia+poeppigii>

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