The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Eastern prickly pear,Opuntia humifusa,is a surprisingly simple cactus.
The cactus can either be started from cuttings in the early summer or from seeds in late spring.
East of the Appalachian Mountains, the flowers often have a red or orange center.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
The flowers are followed by edible purple or red fruits called tunas.
ficus-indica, they can be made into nice jellies and pickles.
Prickly pears are a cactus, so they need well-draining soil first and foremost.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Plant in full sun in a sandy or gravely mix and go easy on the water.
More light exposure will also lead to a larger plant and more blooms come mid-to-late spring and summer.
Soil
For the prickly pear to thrive, it needs to be planted in well-draining soil.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Temperature and Humidity
Like any cactus, the prickly pear likes warm, dry weather.
Fertilizer
When planted outdoors ingarden soil, no fertilizer is needed.
However, occasional feeding may be required indoors.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
To do so, remove an individual pad from the mother cactus that’s at least six months old.
Allow the cut end to “heal” for at least a week, or until it scabs over.
At that point, you might plant the pad cut end down in a mixture of soil and sand.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
If it comes loose, give it more time.
you’re able to water the cactus sporadically after it’s able to stand on its own.
For even better drainage, start with a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot.
Start with a pot that is a few inches broader than the largest pad.
It should survive just fine in the typical atmosphere of a home during the wintertime.
Prickly pear cactus can be afflicted by the phyllosticta fungus.
Many prickly pear cacti can live for 20 years or more with proper care.
Prickly pear cactus can thrive indoors when given the proper soil and the right amount of sunlight.
