Opuntia humifusa
Prickly Pear
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Prickly Pear is New Jersey’s only native cactus! Flat, fleshy, oval, evergreen pads stand erect or lie horizontally on the ground. The pads...
Description:
Prickly Pear is New Jersey’s only native cactus! Flat, fleshy, oval, evergreen pads stand erect or lie horizontally on the ground. The pads become somewhat dessicated and shriveled during the winter but plump-up again in the spring. Yellow, ornate flowers develop along the top of each pad and bloom June-July. Each flower is diurnal and blooms for only one day. A red edible fruit will follow fertilization. Flowers, fruits, and pads all offer food for wildlife. The pads and fruit are also edible for humans; however, tiny reddish spikes persist and necessitate much care in handling all parts of this plant. Use Prickly Pear in seaside gardens, rock gardens, sunny borders, dry sandy areas of your yard, or as groundcover.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Devil's-tongue
Plant Type: Groundcover
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Late Spring to Early Summer, Summer
Bloom Colors: Yellow
Deer Resistance: Some
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Birds
Salt Tolerance: High
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Sandy
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: High
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 0.5 - 1 ft
Spread: 0.5 - 3 ft
Growth Rate: Medium