Is this opuntia ?

[Kriti]

Hi . I found this plant growing in my yard . Can anyone please confirm if this is opuntia and if it is , how do I harvest it and how do I feed it to my tort ? Thanks .

 

[Yvonne G]

It IS cactus, however, it's not opuntia.

 

[Kriti]

It IS cactus, however, it's not opuntia.

Okay . Thanks !

 

[Maro2Bear]

Like Yvonne said, definitely not Opuntia, it’s more in the “Euphorbia” family of cactus I believe. Take a look here at this web site, scroll down a bit, and look at the Euphorbia shown...

Cactus

Looking for a plant you don't have to water much? A cactus might be your answer! Most cacti come from dryland areas and are used to being able to survive weeks without rainfall. Cactus houseplants have that same characteristic: Just give cacti a bright, sunny spot and you can enjoy the easy-care...

www.costafarms.com

PS - make sure you properly ID the type you have. From the Tort Table

• Common Name: Euphorbia - Succulent
• Latin Name: Euphorbia spp.
• Family Name: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbias contain a TOXIN that is known to be carcinogenic. The milky sap can cause inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. The chemical resinferatoxin has an irritating effect which is stronger than capsaicin, the substance that makes chillies hot. So never feed to tortoises and wear protective clothing when handling this plant.

Candelabra Cactus (Euphorbia lactea)
Milk bush (Indian Tree Spurge) (Euphorbia tirucalli)

N.B. Euphorbia canariensis, which is toxic, looks very like many species of cactus that grow in column shapes and which are safe for tortoises (for example, Cereus, Pachycereus, Hylocereus, Neobuxbaumia, Browningia, and many others). Unless you can accurately identify the species of any plant do not feed it to your tortoise.

 

[Kriti]

Like Yvonne said, definitely not Opuntia, it’s more in the “Euphorbia” family of cactus I believe. Take a look here at this web site, scroll down a bit, and look at the Euphorbia shown...

Cactus

Looking for a plant you don't have to water much? A cactus might be your answer! Most cacti come from dryland areas and are used to being able to survive weeks without rainfall. Cactus houseplants have that same characteristic: Just give cacti a bright, sunny spot and you can enjoy the easy-care...

www.costafarms.com

PS - make sure you properly ID the type you have. From the Tort Table

• Common Name: Euphorbia - Succulent
• Latin Name: Euphorbia spp.
• Family Name: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbias contain a TOXIN that is known to be carcinogenic. The milky sap can cause inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. The chemical resinferatoxin has an irritating effect which is stronger than capsaicin, the substance that makes chillies hot. So never feed to tortoises and wear protective clothing when handling this plant.

Candelabra Cactus (Euphorbia lactea)
Milk bush (Indian Tree Spurge) (Euphorbia tirucalli)

N.B. Euphorbia canariensis, which is toxic, looks very like many species of cactus that grow in column shapes and which are safe for tortoises (for example, Cereus, Pachycereus, Hylocereus, Neobuxbaumia, Browningia, and many others). Unless you can accurately identify the species of any plant do not feed it to your tortoise.

Thanks for taking the time to reply . I definitely wont be feeding it to my tort .

 

[Yvonne G]

No, it's not euphorbia, it's more along the lines of acanthacereus. Euphorbs bleed a milky white sap and have thorns like roses. this cactus has glochids.