Opuntia humifusa - (Eastern Pricky Pear Cactus)
GARDEN SITE: ☀️ Dry, Sandy or Gravelly, Well-Drained Soil.
SIZE: ½-1 ft. Spread: 1-2 ft.
FLOWERS: Yellow blooms 2-3”, June - July.
WILDLIFE: Bees are crazy about the flowers!
ZONE: 4-9
DISTRIBUTION: AL , AR , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Evergreen. Edible fruit. Big huge yellow flowers! Tolerates clay soil if it drains well and doesn’t remain wet in winter. Suitable as ground cover for rock gardens, sandy slopes, stone walls, xeriscape where the plants can remain untouched and where other vegetation is not going to invade the area.
During winter and summer drought the pads lose water content and become wrinkly but they quickly revive with rain and improved conditions. Drought, Deer and Rabbit Tolerant. Watch out for thorns.
Other common names include the devil's-tongue and Indian fig. The genus (Opuntia) is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew and could be propagated by rooting its leaves. The species name, “humifusa,” comes from Latin word for “spread out,” refers to the plant’s growth habit.
Photo by wikipedia commons
GARDEN SITE: ☀️ Dry, Sandy or Gravelly, Well-Drained Soil.
SIZE: ½-1 ft. Spread: 1-2 ft.
FLOWERS: Yellow blooms 2-3”, June - July.
WILDLIFE: Bees are crazy about the flowers!
ZONE: 4-9
DISTRIBUTION: AL , AR , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Evergreen. Edible fruit. Big huge yellow flowers! Tolerates clay soil if it drains well and doesn’t remain wet in winter. Suitable as ground cover for rock gardens, sandy slopes, stone walls, xeriscape where the plants can remain untouched and where other vegetation is not going to invade the area.
During winter and summer drought the pads lose water content and become wrinkly but they quickly revive with rain and improved conditions. Drought, Deer and Rabbit Tolerant. Watch out for thorns.
Other common names include the devil's-tongue and Indian fig. The genus (Opuntia) is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew and could be propagated by rooting its leaves. The species name, “humifusa,” comes from Latin word for “spread out,” refers to the plant’s growth habit.
Photo by wikipedia commons
GARDEN SITE: ☀️ Dry, Sandy or Gravelly, Well-Drained Soil.
SIZE: ½-1 ft. Spread: 1-2 ft.
FLOWERS: Yellow blooms 2-3”, June - July.
WILDLIFE: Bees are crazy about the flowers!
ZONE: 4-9
DISTRIBUTION: AL , AR , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Evergreen. Edible fruit. Big huge yellow flowers! Tolerates clay soil if it drains well and doesn’t remain wet in winter. Suitable as ground cover for rock gardens, sandy slopes, stone walls, xeriscape where the plants can remain untouched and where other vegetation is not going to invade the area.
During winter and summer drought the pads lose water content and become wrinkly but they quickly revive with rain and improved conditions. Drought, Deer and Rabbit Tolerant. Watch out for thorns.
Other common names include the devil's-tongue and Indian fig. The genus (Opuntia) is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew and could be propagated by rooting its leaves. The species name, “humifusa,” comes from Latin word for “spread out,” refers to the plant’s growth habit.
Photo by wikipedia commons
