Plains Prickly Pear Opuntia macrorhiza
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Opuntia fusiformis
- Opuntia grandiflora
- Opuntia leptocarpa
- Phonetic Spelling
- oh-POON-tee-ah mak-ro-RYE-zah
- Description
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Plains prickly pear is a member of the cactus family (Cactaceae) that is native to the contiguous United States. It is a low-growing, clump-forming perennial evergreen, succulent, and measures less than 10 inches tall and forms a mat up to 3 to 5 feet wide. This species often has tuberous roots and is typically found in dry plains, grasslands, and woodlands. The specific epithet, macrorhiza, is Latin for "with large roots"' and refers to the large, tuberous roots of this plant.
This plant prefers full sun and well-drained, sandy, rocky soils with a slightly acidic pH. It is rabbit-resistant and drought-tolerant. This species may be propagated by stem cuttings or seeds.
The plains prickly pear has flat, jointed, round to oval, dull green to bluish-green fleshy pads that measure 2 to 5 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide. Its stems have been modified into oval or round fleshy pads that store moisture when it is available and provide a reservoir when the area has become very dry. As a defense against animals that would like to get at this moisture, these pads are covered with spines and bristles (glochids). Glochids are barbed and can puncture and lodge in human skin. For some people, this can trigger a significant allergic skin reaction. The spines are up to 2.5 inches long, straight, and are clustered in groups of 1 to 6 that grow from the areoles on the surface of the pad. Its flowers bloom from June to July and are papery, light yellow with a red base, and measure 2 to 3 inches wide. They are very showy and attract pollinators. In the late summer and autumn, the 'pear' becomes ripe and can be eaten as a fruit or made into candies and jams. The fruits are fleshy, reddish-purple, and measure 1 to 1.5 inches long.
This plant can be used as a ground cover, to help anchor sandy or rocky slopes, as a spot plant in a dry garden, in a naturalized area or in a pollinator garden. Provide room for the off-shoots. The pads have a tendency to break off and root which will eventually form a colony. Wear protective gloves when handling this plant to prevent skin irritation.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The plains prickly pear has no serious insects or disease problems. Root rot can occur when there is poor soil drainage or soggy soils.
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:
- Juniper Level Botanic Garden: Parking Lot Berms
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- macrorhiza
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The fruit of prickly pear has been and continues to be eaten fresh and made into candies and jams. The Native Americans also cooked it, and dried it for use throughout the winter. The pads were roasted for a vegetable and the sap was used for medical applications. The spines were used to pierce the ear and also for lancing small skin abcesses. The roasted pads were also used by midwives to lubricate their hands when removing the placenta.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Southern United States and Northern Mexico
- Distribution:
- Native: United States--AZ, AR, CO, IL, KS, MO, NM, OK, TX, UT, and WI. Mexico Northeast and Mexico Northwest. Introduced: Argentina Northeast, Argentina South, and North Caucasus.
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant is visited by the Simius Roadside Skipper, the Uncas Skipper and the Green Skipper butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Edibility:
- The fruit is edible raw, cooked or dried. The pads can be roasted to serve as a vegtable. Remove spines and glochids from pads and fruit before eating.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Perennial
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- 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 pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is an elongated reddish oval that measures 1 to 1.5 inches long and 1-inch wide. It is fleshy and good to eat. The areoles have glochid bristles, but there are no spines. The Rampah Navajo dried it and used it during the winter when fruits were hard to find.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Funnel
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flowers on this plant are very showy and bloom from June to July. They are 2 to -3 inches in diameter, bright yellow with a red/orange eye. There are 8-12 yellow rays that surround a bushy clump of yellow stamens. They are attractive to pollinators.
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Leaves:
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The leaves of this plant aren't leaves at all. The pads are modified stems. The flattened stems (cladodes, often called pads) resemble thick leaves. These dark, dull green or bluish-green stem segments are not easily detached. Their shape is oval to circular and they are usually thick and fleshy. If there has been a drought then the pads become wrinkled as the plant takes advantage of their stored moisture. They are covered with 1 to 4- inch long spines which grow from an areole. The flattened needle shaped spines are white to a reddish brown color and can stand straight up or spread out from the areole. The spines are turned downward. Glochids are the minute bristle-like, barbed hairs that appear in clusters on the stems. The pads of this plant are covered with dense tufts of pale yellow, tan to red-brown, ΒΌ inch long barbed bristles. The tufts of bristles can pierce human skin and also cause significant allergic skin reactions.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Spines/Thorns
