Ground Cover Late Spring Flowers, Fall Mat with Fruit Height: ½–1 foot Spread: 1–3 feet Bloom Color: Yellow Characteristics Low-growing, clump-forming perennial cactus Flattened, fleshy, paddle-shaped pads covered with sharp spines and tiny, hair-like bristles in little tufts (glochids) Bright yellow flowers, 3-to-4 inches wide, in June and July, each blooming for just one day Edible bright red fruit (called tunas) ripen from early spring through late fall Attributes Tolerates drought, once set; intolerant of shade No serious pests or diseases; deer seldom severely damage Ripe fruit, seeds and young pads edible** Glochids are barbed, hard to remove from hands & cause severe skin irritation so wear gloves when handling; **remove glochids before cooking pads Attracts butterflies and bees to flowers; birds and mammals to fruit and pads Growing and Maintenance Tips Excellent Replacement for Soil Requirements: Well-drained Delosperma species - Iceplant Light Requirements: Sun Lotus corniculatus - Bird’s Tree Trefoil Water Requirements: Dry Portulaca grandiflora - Moss Rose Easy to grow (roots from pads stuck in ground) Use in “hell strips,” rock or water-wise gardens *It is common in the Coastal Plain of DE and rare in PA. It is infrequent throughout VA, although locally common in some Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–10 infrequent throughout VA, although locally common in some areas. developed by Master Gardeners of Norther rn Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria Images by Christa Watters (top) and Mary Free (bottom), Simpson Waterwise Garden Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic Opuntia humifusa Eastern Prickly-pear Eastern Prickly-pear cactus (formerly O. compressa) is unique. Its natural habitat is in scattered pockets from Ontario, Canada, to Florida and Louisiana, rather than the Southwest. Though infrequent throughout Virginia,* it is naive to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Like many of its desert relatives, it is edible, but handle with care! Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.

Opuntia humifusa Eastern Prickly-pear for the Mid-Atlantic

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Page 1: Opuntia humifusa Eastern Prickly-pear for the Mid-Atlantic

Ground Cover Late Spring Flowers, Fall Mat with Fruit

Height: ½–1 foot

Spread: 1–3 feet

Bloom Color: Yellow

Characteristics

Low-growing, clump-forming perennial cactus

Flattened, fleshy, paddle-shaped pads covered with sharp spines and tiny, hair-like bristles in little tufts (glochids)

Bright yellow flowers, 3-to-4 inches wide, in June and July, each blooming for just one day

Edible bright red fruit (called tunas) ripen from early spring through late fall

Attributes

Tolerates drought, once set; intolerant of shade

No serious pests or diseases; deer seldom severely damage

Ripe fruit, seeds and young pads edible**

Glochids are barbed, hard to remove from hands & cause severe skin irritation so wear gloves when handling; **remove glochids before cooking pads

Attracts butterflies and bees to flowers; birds and mammals to fruit and pads

Growing and Maintenance Tips Excellent Replacement for

Soil Requirements: Well-drained Delosperma species - Iceplant

Light Requirements: Sun Lotus corniculatus - Bird’s Tree Trefoil

Water Requirements: Dry Portulaca grandiflora - Moss Rose

Easy to grow (roots from pads stuck in ground)

Use in “hell strips,” rock or water-wise gardens *It is common in the Coastal Plain of DE and rare in PA. It is infrequent throughout VA, although locally common in some areas.Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–10

*It is common in the Coastal Plain of DE and rare in PA. It is infrequent throughout VA, although locally common in some areas.

developed by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandriadeveloped by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and AlexandriaImages by Christa Watters (top) and Mary Free (bottom), Simpson Waterwise Garden

Tried and TrueNative Plant Selections

for the Mid-Atlantic

Opuntia humifusaEastern Prickly-pear

Eastern Prickly-pear cactus (formerly O. compressa) is unique. Its natural habitat is in scattered pockets from Ontario, Canada, to Florida and Louisiana, rather than the Southwest. Though infrequent throughout Virginia,* it is naive to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Like many of its desert relatives, it is edible, but handle with care!

Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.