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Prickly Pear

Opuntia ficus-indica

  • Edible
Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)

Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Bloom colours

yellow, orange

What actually matters with this one

The hair-fine glochids are the real hazard, not the spines. Handle pads with folded newspaper and tongs.

How to grow it

Light
full sun
Water
Keep it dry
Hardiness
Zones 8-11
Height
3 m
Flowers
May to July
Difficulty
easy

Where you will meet it

Plant it alongside

Relatives and plants that want the same conditions.