Scientific Name
Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.
Common Name(s)
Coastal Prickly Pear, Common Pest Pear, Erect Prickly Pear, Pest Prickly Pear
Synonym(s)
Cactus strictus, Opuntia stricta var. stricta
Scientific Classification
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Opuntioideae
Tribe: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia
Description
Opuntia stricta is a cactus that can grow up to 6.6 feet (2 m) tall as an erect or spreading shrub with fleshy, dull green to grey-green stem segments. The basal stem segments sometimes thicken and form a trunk. The upper segments are flattened, elliptic to obovate, measuring up to 14 inches (35 cm) long, 8 inches (20 cm) wide, and 0.8 inches (2 cm) thick. The areoles are scattered, spineless, or often with one or more yellowish spines that can grow up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) long and numerous short yellow glochids.
The solitary flowers are yellow to yellowish-orange and appear in spring and summer. They can reach up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) in length and diameter. The edible fruits are purplish-red and egg-shaped and can grow up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) long and 1.6 inches (4 cm) in diameter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 40 °F (+4.4 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Though the large variety of species within the Opuntia genus means different, Prickly Pears may need slightly different care. All are desert cacti that need lots of sun, light, and very little water. So if you live in a hot, arid area, these plants can generally be planted outside, left alone, and enjoyed.
These cacti will grow just fine in a garden but can also be grown in pots. To repot, ensure the soil is dry, remove the pot, and remove the old soil. After treating any cuts with fungicide, place the cactus in a new pot and backfill it with potting soil. As with a new cutting, do not water a newly repotted Prickly Pear for a brief period to avoid rotting its roots.
Opuntia can propagate either by cuttings or by seed. To propagate by cuttings, sever pads from a plant and let them dry to heal the wounds. Then, place the plants in dry soil and refrain from watering them until they begin to grow to avoid rotting them.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Opuntia.
Origin
Opuntia stricta is endemic to the subtropical and tropical coastal areas of the Americas and the Caribbean.
Links
- Back to genus Opuntia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
