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.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia humifusa
Duration
Perennial
Plant Type
Wildflower
Available
Yes
Sizes Available
Height
1 foot
Spread
1-2 feet
Bloom Season
Early Summer - Mid Summer
Flower Colors
Yellow
Sun Tolerance
Soil Tolerance
Sandy,
Dry,
Well drained
Features
Image
Image
Image
Reference Links
LINPI resources
QR
https://db.linpi.org/ophu
Code
OPHU