Cactus

Evergreen – Sun

Opuntia spp. Ht. 2″-6quot; Spread 4″-6″

o-PUN-tee-ah Spacing 2″-4″

HABIT: Yellow to red flowers in spring, red to purple edible fruit in fall.

CULTURE: Some have flat pads covered with tufts of spines, others have branches or central spiny limbs or barrels.

USES: Maintenance free spring flowers.

PROBLEMS: Spines can be a nuisance.

NOTES: Texas prickly pear is Opuntia lindheimeri. Opuntia imbricata is the native Cholla or Walking Stick.

Photo: courtesy Logan Garrett Smit