Many varieties have large, round spines, while others have tiny, hair-like barbs that detach upon contact.
Prickly pear is best planted outside in the spring after the threat of frost has passed.
It can take three or four years before a new plant starts fruiting.
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Sitting in soil thats too moist can quickly kill the plant with various forms of rot.
Prickly pear and other cacti go dormant in winter, and their pads appear to dry up or deflate.
Light
As a desert cactus, prickly pear thrives infull sun.
The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak
That means at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.
Indoors, a west- or south-facing window works best.
In very hot climates, some shade during midday can prevent scald.
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Soil
The most important requirement for any plant in theOpuntiagenus is soil that drains well.
Water
Prickly pear likes dry conditions, and very little watering is required to maintain the plant.
This is why the cactus is often used in low-water gardens.
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Limit your watering to every two to three weeks, only whenever the soil is completely dry.
When watering, simply moisten the soil without soaking it.
If you get minimal rainfall, that’s often all the plant needs.
(Remember, desert nights can be cool.)
It generally does well in regions that have mild winters and hot summers with low humidity.
Typical indoor temperatures and humidity levels are usually fine for a prickly pear grown as a houseplant.
However, keep the plant away from heat and air-conditioning sources, as they can cause extreme temperature fluctuations.
Fertilizer
Prickly pear rarely needsfertilizerwhen planted in the ground, unless you have very poor soil.
In containers, it will use up the soils nutrients faster and will require some feeding.
it’s possible for you to apply abalanced fertilizerduring the growing season, following product instructions.
You also can choose a high-nitrogen fertilizer for larger pads or a low-nitrogen fertilizer for more flowers and fruits.
Local garden centers will normally offer only those that are suitable for your climate.
These removed pads can be rooted to propagate new plants.
you might propagate the plant through cuttings or by seed.
Fill it with a well-draining potting mix, such as one specially made for cactus and succulents.
Then, put on thick protective gloves to plant your new prickly pear in its pot.
To do so, first, double-check the soil is dry.
Then, shimmy the plant away from the pot by grabbing its base and knocking away the old soil.
Place it in a slightly larger pot, and backfill with a well-draining potting mix.
Don’t water your repotted prickly pear right away; allow it to reintegrate its roots first.
Overwintering
Provided your plant is hardy in your region, no winter protection is necessary.
Tender potted plants should be brought indoors when temperatures dip below 50 degrees on a regular basis.
Late fall is a good time to trim back your plant, if necessary, to control its size.
The removed pads can be used to propagate new plants over the winter.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Prickly pear is prone to a variety ofinsect pests, includingscaleandmealybug.
Treat them with rubbing alcohol, neem oil, or a pesticide.
Indoor plants are somewhat more susceptible to pests than outdoor plants.
There is no effective treatmentremove and dispose of infected pads to keep the fungus from spreading.
If you are over-tending your plant, it may prevent it from blooming.
In rare cases, indoor plants may need just a little fertilizer to prompt blooms.
Water in an increasingly large quantity over several days, just until the pads are plumb and full again.
Do not continue watering heavily; excess water is a more severe problem.
Reduce your watering intervals.
Affected pads may need to be removed.
This can cause its shallow roots to rot, causing the plant to collapse.
There is usually no recovery from this; the plant will need to be abandoned.
If you reduce watering immediately and cut away rotted areas, you may be able to save the plant.
If rot continues to spread, discard the plant.
Move the plant to a location with a bit of shade during the heat of the day.
Prickly pear is often used in xeriscape beds, in rock gardens, and in containers.
They can be eaten raw, or used in a variety of cooked dishes.
The pear-shaped fruits are ripe when the tiny hairs (glochids) begin to fall off.
Once cleaned, they can be squeezed for juice or peeled to eatthe taste is citrusy.
Large outdoor specimens that form woody trunks may live for much longer than that.
