by maggie
prickly pear tuna
by maggie
Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia humifusa
Duration
Perennial
Plant Type
Wildflower

Yes, Long Island has a native cactus! The Prickly Pear Cactus is a mounding, low-growing perennial found closer to the shoreline in sandy patches.  Easy to grow, hard to kill, and great for containers, too.  Be careful of the tiny hairlike spines when handling!  The paddles (nopales) and fruit (tuna) are edible and feature in Mexican cuisine. 

Available
Yes
Sizes Available
Chelsea Chop
No
Height
1 foot
Spread
1-2 feet
Bloom Season
Early Summer
Mid Summer
Flower Colors
Yellow
Soil Tolerance
Sandy
Dry
Well drained
QR
https://db.linpi.org/ophu https://db.linpi.org/ophu