Say it: oh-PUN-tee-uh. Common names: prickly pear, nopal, paddle cactus.
Where it grows
Native throughout the Americas, from Canada to Patagonia, and naturalized on every continent except Antarctica. O. basilaris (beavertail) is a Mojave and Sonoran native common around Blythe; O. humifusa grows across the eastern US; O. ficus-indica has been farmed in Mexico for thousands of years; O. cacanapa 'Ellisiana' is a spineless Texas selection; O. monacantha is from Brazil and Argentina.
Size and growth
Flat pads joined end to end, from ground-hugging beavertails to 15-foot tree-like ficus-indica. All carry glochids — tiny barbed bristles that are more trouble than the spines — so handle with tongs or thick gloves. Fast: a pad rooted this spring can be a branching plant by fall.
Flowers and fruit
Big, silky flowers in yellow, orange, pink or magenta in spring, followed by edible fruit (tunas). Young ficus-indica pads are the nopales of Mexican cooking.
Care
- Light: full sun.
- Water: occasional in summer, dry in winter. Most tolerate neglect.
- Soil: anything that drains.
- Cold: varies widely. Humifusa survives below 0°F; basilaris around 10°F; ficus-indica and cacanapa about 15–20°F; monacantha and its variegated form are frost-tender.
From pads and seed
Pads are the easy way: let the cut end dry for a week, set it upright in dry soil, and wait 2–4 weeks before watering. Seed is slower — the hard coat means germination is erratic and can take weeks to months. Soaking overnight or nicking the coat helps.
All Opuntia and prickly pear · Beavertail pad · Ficus-indica pads · Spineless Ellisiana pads · Eastern prickly pear seeds