This is the Cactus that grows as far north as Canada. Technical name is Opuntia humifusa, one of 181 know species. Opuntia is the widest spread genus in the Cactus family, that ranges from Canada to Argentina. Many of these species hybridize and blend into one another.
Here on Long Island NY you can find Prickly Pear Cactus growing in protected areas like sea shore parks, and even old cemeteries where there is full sun and well drained poor soils.
photo from worldofsucculents.com
In late Spring they produce yellow/gold flowers 4-6 cm across, that form red edible fruits 3-5 cm. Their green pads contain large fixed spines as well as small hair like ones with prickles. These spines can penetrate the skin and be difficult to remove.
photo from duckduckgo.com
I decided I wanted my own Prickly Pear. I took a pad, ware gloves when doing this, I found growing wild and went on line to see if I could propagate it. Seems they are pretty easy to grow this way. You just let the cut end calcify over, takes about a week, then put in a pot of sandy soil. Keep it moist and roots will emerge from the cut part and also where the spines protrude.
In the above picture you can see the white root going into the soil. Also the pad has swelled up since I first broke it off. No green thumb needed to get these babies to grow.
Now all I need is to find a sunny spot with well drained sandy soil to plant in once the pad is firmly rooted.
Maybe one day my Prickly Pear Cactus patch will look like this...
photo from wikipedia
sources ... wikipedia
gardeningknowhow.com
cactiguide
worldofsucculents.com
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