Our native prickly pear (Opuntia littoralis) has a bad case of cochineal scale. The white fluff is covering the pads and causing them to dry out and break down. We are working to eradicate this insect infestation by scrubbing it off the cacti pads, but that requires carefully navigating the prickly pear’s sharp spikes. This awful chore could only be achieved by an absolutely awesome volunteer… Jeanne, our Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture summer intern, has spent several tedious days on this and is making steady progress. Thank you, Jeanne!
– Lorraine Kelley
Jeanne bravely volunteers to remove cochineal scale from the cacti at the native propagation center
