Opuntia
Prickly Pear
Early Summer 2020
41
- 2
Early Summer 2020
29
- 5
Early Spring 2020
23
- 2
Late Winter 2020
33
- 12
Late Spring 2019
41
- 1
Mid Spring 2019
34
- 4
Early Spring 2019
21
- 1
Early Spring 2019
35
- 3
Early Spring 2019
25
- 1
Late Summer 2018
52
- 4
Late Summer 2018
56
- 6
Mid Summer 2018
47
- 8
Mid Summer 2018
54
- 3
Mid Summer 2018
41
- 9














Opuntia
Early Summer 2020
41
Early Summer 2020
29

My prickly pear flower is starting to open!

Lovely 💛💛 will it produce fruit ?

@sabbanrula it can. This is the first time mine has bloomed. We will have to see what it does

I hope you get some fruit this year 💚they’re delicious 😋

#wickedspines
Early Spring 2020
23

They are starting to stand back up

Whooohooo....yay. 😁😁
Late Winter 2020
33

Love seeing how the prickly pear looks dead in the winter. Then how it comes back in spring

Yours look neat even in winter? Have to ask though, do they spread? Mine are in planters so now you have me thinking lol.

@angeljen my went in the ground July of 2018. So last year was their first full year in the ground. So far they have not spread. But I think this year might tells more what they will do. I think they might spread. Just because I got these from a friend at work. Think she was trying to thin them out. But we will see.

If you can, please keep posting. I think I might try and put a few of mine in the ground this year. Thank you.

They do grow large but I'm not sure they spread @angeljen What do you say Steve? @honestgreensco

@lesliecole49 it will spread once it gets more mature, in cold climates they will die back for a few years until their trunk is strong enough to live thru the winter. When larger they will spread, but cold climate will limit propogation viability

@angeljen ⬆️

Thanks Steve @honestgreensco

@lesliecole49 and @angeljen how big depends on which kind you have. I seen one that only gets 12 inches. I’m not sure which one I have since it was given to me. I have seen another house near me with a big group of them. Could be from spreading. they are not more then 12 or so inches and the look like mine does every winter. I know they have had theirs at least 5 years, because they had them when I moved to this area.

@lesliecole49 and @angeljen The eastern prickly pear gets 12 inches at maturity and has a spread of 3 feet. I’m hoping this is the one I have. But I don’t know how to tell them apart.

Unfortunately I dont think I can help cause I'm not sure which i have either lol 🤣🤣 but if I find anything out that might be helpful, I'll share it.

I dont grow cactus so I'm out! Katie and @angeljen
Late Spring 2019
41

Updating pic.
Mid Spring 2019
34

Updating my prickly pear that is outside all year in Ohio. First spring for them. Looks like there might be some new growth on a couple of them.

@hannahchristine The cactus has recovered on its own. I haven’t touched them. Other then pulling the weeds out

Opuntia humifusa is native to Ohio. Will look soft & wrinkly over winter recovers soon in spring. Hint use needle nose plyers to hold or fold newspaper to make long piece and wrap around to hold

@hannahchristine @moore.794 they become wrinkled because they release their water during the winter so it doesn’t freeze. Now with all this rain and the sun they are holding their water again.
Early Spring 2019
21

They are starting to stand back up
Early Spring 2019
35

@ambitiouswolf what happen to it looks wrinkled never seen prickly pear cactus like this before 😊 did it freeze or something id give it some plant food or throw cinnamon on it looks like its rotting at bottom unless thats just the way it looks i hope it grows and gets big for u ❤

@hannahchristine this is would it looks like outside during the winter 🥶. We will see what it does this spring. My first year for it. I pass a house in my area that has a lot of them. And they look the same right now.

They should be fine. They grow wild here and always look somewhat dehydrated and weathered in the early spring.
Early Spring 2019
25

The prickly pear cactus. Doesn’t look great. We will see what it does.
Late Summer 2018
52

One of the bigger pieces I planted is starting new growth. 😁

That one is definitely growing! Is it new growth or a flower?

@gjones it is new growth

👍I still have nothing growing off of mine. I found one piece out of the ground,I think the squirrel thought it was a snack !!
Late Summer 2018
56

Hoping the bigger ones will get some new growth. Two of the smaller ones are doing great.

Are these frost-hardy with our northeastern winters?? I want some but didn't think they'd survive in NJ.

@sushiwaitress. They were given to me by someone that had them outside in the ground here in Ohio. So I’m trying them outside in the ground. A gtager on here from Connecticut had a neighbor plant theirs in the ground.

If they happen to be opuntia polyacantha, they'll survive to -40F. They don't look exactly like our plains prickly pear cactus but very similar. Ours appear to have more and longer spines.

@ambitiouswolf @KelsiBriana oh yay!! More excuses to buy plants!!

I am jealous mine don't have any new growth as if yet!
Mid Summer 2018
47

We have new growth!

How exciting ! --- so good when propagating is successful !!🤗

Very good👍🏻🤗😊💕

Cool @ambitiouswolf it worked !!!!!!

Did you just cut it off the main plant and plant it in well drained soil?

@gjones a person from work gave them to me. I cut off the best parts. Which if you scroll back on the pics you will see them cut. The Person that give them to me said they can stay out side all winter. So a couple days after cutting them by the suggestion of folks here on gtag I planted them straight into the ground in a very sunny spot.

We have native cacti that grow on the north hills of the Qu'Appelle Valley. I may just have to take a little drive and give this a try.😊

Hello! Handle it carefully as it is very prickly. I had an opuntia that l grew it from a cutting as you did. I had it for many years but l decided to get rid of it because every time l touched it, l got hurt by its tiny thorns. It was really painfull
Mid Summer 2018
54

Most people think it is better to just plant them in the ground, so I did. We will see what happens.

@mojosmomma

Great..keep us updated on how they take
Mid Summer 2018
41

Someone at work gave me some prickly pear cactus. She said they can stay outside all year. I cut off what looked good. I’m going to see if I can get them to take root inside first. If they do I plan to try it planted in the ground next spring.

Wow 😳 love this!! 🌵

may root faster in sunshine

This is a really good link about rooting opuntia pads @https://www.succulentsandsunshine.com/root-cactus-pads/ I followed the instructions when I rooted mine and they worked really well.

@ambitiouswolf I got a piece of this too and I tried it indoors and is turning brown on the top,I spoke to a lady who runs a farm and she said to just throw it in garden and it will take or you can just stick it in the dirt. My neighbor stuck hers in garden and it looks great..compared to mine .

@mojosmomma what zone are you in?

@ambitiouswolf not really sure what zone, I am in Connecticut.

@mojosmomma Looks like you run between 5-7 depending where in the state you are. I’m 5-6. So very similar. I was worried about just putting them in the ground when they don’t have any roots. I thought they might get to rot if it rains before they take root.

@ambitiouswolf a friend of mine just stuck hers right in the ground a couple days after harvesting them from momma plant. Hers are doing great and we have had a tremendous amount of rain this month.
Open more now
That’s beautiful 😍