Eastern Prickly Pear, Devil's Tongue, Low Prickly Pear, Opuntia compressa, Opuntia mesacantha, Opuntia italica, Opuntia rafinesquei, Opuntia fuscoatra
Widely found in the eastern United States, Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) is a clump-forming succulent shrub with round-to-oval, fleshy, purple-tinged, green pads, up to 10 in. across (25 cm). Covered with clusters of reddish-brown, barbed bristles, the pads are scattered with needle-like spines. In summer, this cactus puts out some of the most striking flowers. Bright yellow, sometimes with a reddish heart, the large, waxy blossoms, 3 in. wide (7 cm), count up to 8-12 yellow rays and are adorned with a bushy clump of yellow center stamens. Attractive to a myriad of pollinator species, they are followed by bright red fruits that are almost as pretty as the flowers. Edible, they are most often used to make candies and jams. Frost hardy, Opuntia humifusa is a very decorative cactus which adds beauty to the garden year-round.
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
9 - 11 |
Plant Type | Cactus & Succulents |
Plant Family | Cactaceae |
Genus | Opuntia |
Common names | Eastern Prickly Pear, Devil's Tongue, Cactus, Prickly Pear |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
Height |
6" - 1' (15cm - 30cm) |
Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Midwest, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Rocky Mountains, Montana |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
Attracts | Birds |
Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders |
Garden Styles | Gravel and Rock Garden, Mediterranean Garden |
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
9 - 11 |
Plant Type | Cactus & Succulents |
Plant Family | Cactaceae |
Genus | Opuntia |
Common names | Eastern Prickly Pear, Devil's Tongue, Cactus, Prickly Pear |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
Height |
6" - 1' (15cm - 30cm) |
Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Low |
Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Midwest, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Rocky Mountains, Montana |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
Attracts | Birds |
Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders |
Garden Styles | Gravel and Rock Garden, Mediterranean Garden |
How many Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) do I need for my garden?
Plant | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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