Virginia ecotype
- Duration: Perennial (succulent)
- Habit: Low-growing, sprawling, clump-forming, naturalizing
- Size: Typically 0.5 to 1 foot tall; spreads 2 to 4 feet wide over time
- Flowering Time: May to July
- Bloom Color: Bright yellow (occasionally with red or orange center) Habitat: Sandy or rocky soils, dry open woods, dunes, prairies, glades, and outcrops
- Moisture: Dry; prefers well-drained conditions
- Light: Full sun (needs as much sun as it can get)
- Soils: Sandy, gravelly, or rocky soils; tolerates loamy or nutrient-poor conditions. If using in containers consider a commercial cactus soil mix, or add extra perlite or pummice to potting mix.
- Uses: Xeriscaping, container gardens, erosion control, wildlife gardens, edible landscapes, drought-tolerant native plantings, pollinator support
Opuntia humifusa (Eastern prickly pear cactus)
Eastern prickly pear is a low-growing succulent, featuring flat, fleshy pads. This cactus produces large bright yellow flowers (with occasionally orange/red centers) in late spring to early summer, followed by red, edible fruits known as "tunas." The fruits are sometimes used to make juice or jam, and are attractive to animals. The peppercorn-sized seeds are consumed by birds. Opuntia humifusa flowers attracts a wide array of bees, including bumble bees, eastern carpenter bees, digger bees, leaf-cutting bees, and Halictid bees, as well as hummingbirds.
This succulent thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soils and is well adapted to harsh environments due to its drought resistance. It's great for xeric / dry and difficult sites, or rock gardens, and should not be planted in dense unamended poorly drained clay. This species is also one of very few natives which would do well in containers, even outdoors through winter. It would do well on a patio, or indoors in a very bright window that gets as much full sun as possible, as they are intolerant and grow weakly in too much shade.
This frost-hardy cactus can survive down to temperatures as low as -30°F (-34°C). It is adapted to survive by shriveling in the winter to conserve moisture, and plumping back up when temperatures warm. No wonder it can occur in the wild as far north as Canada!
This cactus is not as spined as many others of its family, sometimes exhibiting no spines at all, but it does have fine hair-like barbs at segments that stick into skin easily. When handling it is recommended to use gloves.