On May 12, 11:39=A0am, paterson00
<paterson00.29e5...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> I would like a few flowering cactus in my flower bed but not ones that
> get too tall. =A018 " =A0most really. =A0What are my choices?
>
> --
> paterson00
Prickly pear cactus plants, when growing wild, often lay flat or near
the ground. Under optimal garden conditions prickly pear will grow one
to two feet tall and produce larger pads. They thrive in rock gardens
or containers and can be effective in a mixed planting, borders and
natural areas. Hardy prickly pear is low-growing and its brilliant
yellow flowers and meandering pads are a welcome addition to the sunny
flower garden.
Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa) is a hardy cactus native to the
United States east of the Rockies and grows wild in dry, sandy soils
in open pine woods, prairies, pastures, and dry rocky glades. Native
Opuntia humifusa prickly pear cactus is a prostrate or spreading
cactus with oblong, flattened pads 2 to 8 inches (5.1-15.2 cm) long
with sharp spines. (Some individuals don't have spines.) Prickly pear
spines are easy enough to avoid, but watch out for the tiny hairlike
bristles (glochids) that occur in little tufts over the pad. They are
barbed and treacherous! Prickly Pear Cactus has showy bright yellow 3
to 4 inch wide flowers that appear in mid summer. The edible reddish
green fruits are called tunas and are 2-3 in long. The pulp is ruby
red and tastes a little like watermelon.
There are over 200 species of prickly pear cactuses in southwestern
North America, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Prickly pear prefers full sun but will grow in light shade and is
easy to grow, rooting readily from pads stuck in the ground, or even
just lying on the surface. It is drought tolerant but doesn't like
soggy conditions.
There is a large commercial production of Prickly Pear fruits
(tunas) in other countries where the the sweet juicy fruits are very
popular. World wide the production of prickly pear tunas is larger
than that of strawberries, avocados, or apricots
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