Opuntia humifusa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- op-UN-shee-a hew-mih-FEW-suh
- Description
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Eastern prickly pear is a perennial evergreen in the cactus (Cactaceae) family. This cactus is native to the eastern USA from MA to FL and in scattered areas of the midwest. The plant can survive winters as far north as Ontario. The Genus name comes from Greek and is actually named for another plant the grew around the town of Opus in Greece. The specific epithet humifusa means prostrate or sprawling in reference to this plant's growth habit.
These plants generally grow in clumps sprawling on the ground up to a foot tall. The flattened segmented stems act as leaves and generally have barbed bristles imbedded in wooly hairs and sometimes long spines on the segments. The oval-to-round segments can be 2-10 inches across. In early spring to early summer, flowers are produced at the ends of the pads. They can be yellow to gold and may have reddish centers. The fruit that follows is a fleshy edible green sphere that ripens to red or purple and persists on the stem giving winter interest.
This plant needs full sun and is intolerant of shade or wet poorly drained soils. It does well in sandy or rocky soils and on slopes. Grow this plant in pots, in borders, on slopes or dry meadow/prairie sites. it is very salt tolerant. Propagate with cuttings or seeds.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Root rot can occur in poorly drained soils. The bristles can get in the skin and cause irritation.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- var. ammophila
Grows in FL up to 6 feet tall
- var. ammophila
- var. ammophila
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. ammophila
Grows in FL up to 6 feet tall
- var. ammophila
- var. ammophila
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- humifus
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and central USA into Ontario
- 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
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds will eat the fruits
- Edibility:
- Fruit is used to make candies and jams. The pads can be eaten raw or cooked. Remove the bristles first.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 2 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Oblong sessile fleshy fruits with concave apices mature from green to red or purple. They are edible and either bland, sour or sweet and may persist on the stem through winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The yellow flowers are 2-3 inches across and have 8-12 petals with a dense clump of cetral stamens tha can be yellow to reddish.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The flattened oval-to-round segmented stems act as leaves and are edible but have barbed bristles. May have long spines in the margins
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The flattened segmented oval-to-round pads also act as leaves and can be 2-10 inches across. They have small barbed bristles embedded in wooly hairs and may have straight spines also.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Rabbits
- Salt
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
