Picture a thorny pear cactus , and what do you see ? I wager the plant you envision has fleeceable flat pads , some spikes growing out of little clump , and is probably a few feet tall and wide .
Sure , that distinguish one type , but the creation of cacti in theOpuntiagenus is so much more broad and varied !
aside from the standard edible metal money , there are some species that maturate low like terra firma back , and others that tower 15 foot tall or more .
Some have green pads but you ’ll also find species with diggings in cream , pink , purple , greyish , and blue . There are even variegate options ! And we have n’t even touched on the flowers yet .
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There are dozens ofOpuntiaspecies native to the United States and around 200 throughout the macrocosm .
If you have a ironic patch in your garden with plenty of sun , there ’s anOpuntiaspecies that will become your needs .
In ourguide to growing bristly pear cactus , we talk about how to cultivate these desert mintage in your landscape painting . In this clause , we ’ll take a look at 19 of the bestOpuntiavarieties for your garden .
Here ’s the lineup :
Best Opuntia Varieties
Before we chat about the effective of the best , we should clarify a few terms . The big , roundish parts of the plant are known as “ pads , ” but they are technically calledcladodes .
phylloclade are flattened stems rather than on-key leaf – feel destitute to use that info at your next trivia party !
Prickly pears can have bothspines and glochids . Spines are the longsighted , spiky bits that many of us accidentally discover when we pace on or brush up against them .
Glochids are small bristle - like maturation , often with Pisces the Fishes claw - like barbs .
They kind of resemble hairs , but they sure do n’t sense like it . Once they get into your cutis , it ’s hard to get them out . They cause pain , burning , and intense irritation .
Not all plants in theOpuntiagenus have spines , but almost all have glochidium .
bristly pear pads and fruits are edible , though they change in their palatability . If you do decide to endeavor to eat them , always be sure to pluck any spines and burn off the glochids first .
With those terms clear up , let ’s plunk into 19 of the best splenetic pears for your landscape painting .
1. Barbary
If you want to spring up an edible prickly pear cactus , O. ficus - indicais a secure selection .
It ’s the most widely cultivated specie in Mexico and ordinarily the one you find in markets . When mass say “ briary pear ” or relate to “ nopal , ” it ’s usually this coinage they ’re talking about .
Sometimes prognosticate the Indian common fig , barbary fig , or fig opuntia , it ’s not only pop in Mexico but around the human beings as a nutrient craw , both for the eatable tablet and the fruit .
It has been in cultivation for so long that expert are n’t certain on the dot where it originated in the wild , but it ’s conceive to amount from central Mexico .
It is cultivated around the humans in fond , waterless regions generally equivalent to Zones 9 to 12 and has naturalize in many expanse . In fact , it has even become weedy or invasive in lieu like Australia and function of Africa .
When mature , this setose pear cactus can tower over 15 feet grandiloquent and diffuse just as wide , and the cladodes are large and thick range from three to 12 inches in length .
The small bloodless , yellow , or red flower are less showy than those of some metal money , but the fruits – call tunas – that follow are some of the good . They are scented and juicy .
Spines may or may not be present and while the glochidium are minimal , you should definitely skin the pad or burn them off before use .
2. Beavertail
The beavertail prickly pear ( O. basilaris ) takes its name from the grey-headed - blue pads , which resemble the tails of topper .
Found growing wild in the southwest US , this species reaches just over a invertebrate foot tall and grows in clumps romp hundreds of four - in pad of paper , spreading courteously in the garden .
The pads might have spines , though normally they do not , but they do have glochid . The blossom slip the show featuring three - inch mix magenta flower petal with brilliant yellow and scarlet fibril at the center .
The cherry fruit are pretty but they ’re unvoiced , rendering them mostly inedible . Birds do it them , though .
In cold or desiccated environment , the pads of this opuntia can turn purple .
3. Blind
You ’ll find the blind cactus ( O. rufida ) growing wild in Texas and parts of Mexico , but this species is very pop in the garden because it ’s spineless .
However , just because the pads are not spiny does n’t mean they lack glochids .
The common name “ unsighted prickly pear ” bring up to the fact that the glochids detach easily and can even be carry around in the lead .
Legend has it that they have blown into the eyes of humans and animal , blinding them .
For that intellect , puzzle this statuesque prickly pear out of the direction where it wo n’t menace passersby .
O. rufidagrows up to five feet tall and wide with turgid , thick pads that can measure up to nine inch in diameter . The two - column inch flowers are yellow or orange , follow by shiny cerise fruits .
Grow it alfresco in zona 8 to 10 or as a houseplant in other regions .
4. Brittle
happen grow wild across the west and midwest , brittle or fiddling bristled pear ( O. fragilis ) is itty - bitty .
The pad farm to about an in across at most , in lump of up to a understructure wide and four inches tall . They are one of the dusty - hardiestOptuniaspecies out there , growing in Zones 4 to 10 .
The common name “ brittle ” refers to the tendency of the pads to break away from the plant extremely easy , so do n’t uprise this somewhere it will be bumped .
This species seldom flowers and rarely produces fruits , so enjoy it for the average green pad that form on matted Ernst Boris Chain .
When they do flower , the blossoms may be shades of pale yellow-bellied to deep pink .
5. Bunny Ears
Whether you call it angel ’s backstage , bunny ear , or polka - back breaker cactus , O. microdasysis endearing .
Growing up to about two feet tall and wide at maturity date with six - inch cladophyll , it maintains a manageable size . When the plant is untried , it ’s not hard to see the distinct rabbit - head - like shape of this Mexican native .
This species lacks spines , but instead , it has dense patches of lily-livered glochids with discrete white areoles that look like upbeat , raised polka dots .
Do n’t essay petting it , though . The glochids come away promptly and they are a bother in the … everything .
This is n’t an option that you uprise for its bloom , the inkpad that make this cutie support out , and the yellow-bellied flower only seem rarely .
bet for white bunny girl ears ( O. microdasys albata ) , which has wads of fuzzy blank glochids , bestow even further to the bunny - similar visual aspect .
It ’s suitable for growing outdoors in Zones 7 to 11 , but many folks enjoy angel ’s wing indoors in pot , where it rest smaller .
6. Desert
Across the southwestern United States , share of the southeast , and into Mexico grows the iconic desert prickly pear ( O. engelmannii ) .
This mintage grows in clumps reaching about 11 feet tall , with round or ellipse digs that are about eight inch at the widest point .
The green - gray-haired pads have spines and xanthous or browned glochid , and get bright yellow and ruby bloom in the spring . The juicy ruby fruits are extremely tasty .
This opuntia cactus opt warmer weather condition in zone 8 to 10 .
7. Drooping
I prefer the alternate name of Barbary common fig or cochineal prickly pear , but many people know this mintage as the drooping prickly pear ( O. monacanthosorO. monacantha ) .
It ’s clear how this South American native generate its name – the plant takes on a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - corresponding form with droop branches of ten - inch - long cladodes .
This species can grow up to 20 infantry tall and about five foot wide , and when the plant is dust with bright scandalmongering blossom , it really stands out .
The pretty red fruit are n’t too ratty , either . Just void the two - inch thorns , though not all plant have them .
This warm - weather lover ca n’t tolerate a freeze , so it can only be grown in Zones 9 to 11 .
There are several cultivars and varieties that are even more exceptional than the coinage . ‘ Joseph ’s Coat , ’ for instance , has pinkish , cream , and green variegated pads .
8. Dune
Does this opuntia really grow in sand dune ? You betcha ! Dune prickly pear ( O. drummondii ) dwell the flaxen dune of the Atlantic sea-coast south of North Carolina .
It has short spines and is often first discovered by beachgoers when they all of a sudden come up their bare feet impaled on a rogue pad .
That ’s because the belittled pads , which are generally just a few inches across , detach from the plant easy and take root promptly , so they can be dust and hard to see across their native range .
A mature plant can grow up to three feet tall and wide with bunch of pads .
The dune prickly pear is a bit more noticeable when the bright yellow blossoms are present , and it makes a beautiful ground cover for the waterless garden . Just do n’t abuse on it .
9. Eastern
O. humifusa(formerlyO. comressa ) sometimes goes by devil ’s tongue or eastern prickly pear and can be found in the southeastern US and Mexico in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 .
It grows a little over a infantry magniloquent and doubly as wide with big oval green tablet that can vary between two inches to nearly a understructure long .
The showy , three - column inch bloom are bright yellow , sometimes with a lead of red ink . The red fruits are juicy , flavorous , and delicious .
Watch out for the farseeing , barbarous spines of this opuntia , it has a fate of them !
10. Golden
halcyon prickly pear ( O. aurea ) is a species that should top your must - have list .
It ’s aboriginal to southwest Utah and northwest Arizona , where it grow in scrubland and desert forests along with Retama raetam and pinyon pines in Zones 4b to 10a .
In the garden , it stands out with glorious pink , Battle of Magenta , or yellowish blossoms that can reach up to three inch across on almost spineless , grey - green pad .
The pads are passably small , at about six inches in diam , but there are wad of them in each clump and their size really increases the impact of the peak in comparison . The fruits that follow are greyish - Marxist .
This species is low - growing , pass up to three foundation spacious and just a ft tall .
Look for physical body that twist majestic in the winter or for one of the many beautiful loan-blend multiply using this metal money as a parent , such as ‘ Orange Chiffon ’ with its gorgeous shuffle orange heyday that resemble rosiness .
11. Isla Magdelena
Isla Magdelena prickly pear ( O. pycnantha ) only mature furious on the Isla Magdelena and Isla Santa Margarita in Baja California in the eq of Zones 9b to 11b .
It grows slowly to a mature stature of about three feet tall and an equal or more or less wider ranch , with six - in - wide cladodes covered in pinkish - orange areolas and caboodle of obtusely clustered glochids .
The spinal column also come along in clusters and are poor , making them look like little starbursts . The three inch flowers are Ne white-livered , followed by reddish over-embellished yield .
This one can be a little fleck hard to find .
12. Marble
The rotary , yellow - fleeceable , six - column inch pads ofO. strigilare deal in a enceinte bit of spine , with up to 10 emerging in a starburst form from each areole .
In the saltation , the industrial plant has creamy white-livered blossoms that may or may not have orangish stress .
This species can only be find growing wild in Texas , but it ’s popular in gardens in Zones 6b to 10b . It can grow about three and a half fundament mellow with a standardized or slightly broad spread .
Curious about how this species get its common name ? It ’s from the small , round , reddened fruit that powerfully resemble marbles .
13. Old Man’s Whiskers
Native to Texas and northern Mexico , O. aciculatagoes by old piece ’s whiskers and cowboy ’s red beard . The vernacular gens make out from the orangeness to dark flushed glochid that take form in clusters . The inch - foresightful spines might be present , but not always .
The industrial plant grows up to three feet tall and twice as wide , with clusters of eight - in ellipse cladodes . When the weather turn cold , these blue - greenish pads call on pinkish or purple .
In the fountain , the pads rollick three - inch flowers in chicken , apricot , orange , vermillion , or a combination of colour . After the frilly blossom disappearance , the delectable red fruits form .
get this exceptional , easy - growing burred pear tree in zone 8 to 12 .
14. Plains
If you exist or travel much in the middle west , you ’re likely going to fare across the field , prairie , or western barbellate Pyrus communis cactus ( O. macrohiza ) . It grow wild in grassland in its native range , but it ’s popular in the garden where it fills gay , open spots .
It can also be found in northern Mexico and part of Idaho , Utah , Arizona , and New Mexico in Zones 7b to 11b .
The knit prickly pear is a petite queen that does n’t spring up over a foot improbable , but will broadcast five feet wide with clumps of blue - green tablet that can be up to five column inch improbable and four inches wide .
The showy , three - inch peak are scandalmongering and reddish , and are followed by red fruit .
The fruits on this plant are some of the tasty in the genus , with a gamey grain and fruity flavor . The spines can be over two inches long .
15. Purple
The violet prickly Pyrus communis ( O. azurea ) is an eye - entrance species . It forms magnanimous bunch of six - column inch - all-inclusive bluish pads on a plant that can grow up to three feet tall and twice as wide .
The common name comes from the thick violet hue that the phylloclad take on during cold weather condition . new pads emerge as bright pink .
In the spring , it take form bright yellow flowers with red centers . Just opine the contrast with the violet smell . After they fade , purple - red fruits develop . All along , the plant is accentuate by long , red spur restrain singly in each areole .
Hailing from Texas and northern Mexico , there are at least five naturally - occuring diverseness and several cultivar , so you might ascertain specimen that grow larger or have differently - distort spines .
This opuntia is fairly cold-blooded - broad and can grow in Zones 6 to 10 .
16. Santa Rita
Santa Rita prickly pear ( O. chlorotica santa - ritasyn . O. santa - rita , O. violaceavar.santa - rita ) is a substantial looker .
It draws all the attending with its overlooking eight - foot - tall , ten - foot - wide bearing , but it ’s the attractive blue - green , round pads that arise to about seven inch in diam that really make this species stand up out .
When the wintertime come around the pads exchange to a striking , deep purpleness . In the give , bright yellow flowers rim the pads , which retain their majestic hue until the summer heating system arrives .
It has inch - long back and the flower can be up to four inch in diameter .
With a little pruning or in less - than - idealistic conditions , it will typically grow much minuscule , but observe that deficiency of sun think the purple wo n’t be as vivid .
This plant is indigenous to Texas , Arizona , and New Mexico where it uprise in zone 8 to 11 .
17. Texas Blue
The statuesque Texas dispirited prickly pear ( O. cacanapa ) grows in arid , hot regions in Texas and Mexico , where it can reach up to eight feet tall .
The large , oval pads are up to eight inches in diameter with a trenchant spicy chromaticity , and grow in a branching habit which constitute a striking statement .
That ’s before you take into accounting the two - column inch - long , reddish - yellowed curving sticker and three - column inch wide ruffled , yellow flowers . The flower are followed by attractive violet - red fruits .
If you cerebrate this sounds like the perfect option except for the invariant risk of being stabbed repeatedly by those reprehensible spines , revere not – ‘ Ellisiana ’ is a spineless cultivar .
In addition to the deficiency of spines , it ’s also almost barren of glochidium – one of the only prickly pears with this characteristic .
‘ Ellisiana ’ is suitable for refinement in Zones 7b through 11b . The species plant life is fearless in Zones 6 to 11 .
‘ Ellisiana ’
The deficiency of glochids also makes ‘ Ellisiana ’ an excellent choice for culinary enjoyment .
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18. Tulip
With its blue - unripe pad and bunch of yellow and crimson spines nest in a layer of glochids , tulip or desert prickly pear ( O. phaeacantha ) is an attractive pick .
When the three - inch tulip - like yellow and Orange River peak pop up it ’s truly dramatic .
The red fruit are some of the tasty , get a feeling similar to a modest pear tree . Add to that the fact that the launching pad can work violet during teetotal time and this is one exceptional cactus .
This metal money grows to about three feet tall and full in clumps with large pads that can be up to nine inches long . It grows throughout the southwest and Mexico in Zones 10 to 12 .
19. Wheel
Wheel cactus , also acknowledge as ash gray dollar mark prickly pear ( O. robusta ) , is named for the big , round tablet , which are blue - gray and up to 20 inch in diam .
You could easily see them doubling as station wagon cycle !
Wheel cactus is endemic to Mexico , Arizona , and New Mexico , and mutant fell two - in - farsighted rachis . Plant it far aside from paseo . There are some salmagundi that are spineless .
You do n’t need to get up close to enjoy its show . At nearly ten feet tall with retentive branches of phylloclad , this species can be enjoy from afar .
That ’s also true even when the sensationalistic , three - inch blossoms are on full display . These are follow by tasty and attractive Battle of Magenta yield .
If you ’re willing to offer it some support , it can grow even taller . I ’ve see to it these plants reach 16 feet tall !
You have to live in Zones 9 or 10 to enjoy this flora .
So Many Opuntia Opportunities
Opuntiaspecies total in a much broader compass of colors , sizes , and shapes than many gardener realise .
Whether you ’re interested in a pretty decorative for the garden or you want your own supply of nopales and tunas , you ’ve got lots of options .
And for more info about prickly pear tree cactus , have a read of these guides next :
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Kristine Lofgren
