Prickly pear grow and care – cactus of the genus Opuntia also known as Cactus pear or Barbary fig, Prickly pear perennial thorny plant also used as ornamental plant can grow in desert, subtropical, tropic, mediterranean or temperate climate and growing in hardiness zone 7+.
Stem color green with oval shape when mature become brown and change their shape more oval as stem, the stem called cladode some refers them as leaves.
Flower color orange, yellow or pink flower.
Prickly pear fruits Fruit color can be: orange, yellow, red, purple or green, the peel covers with spines
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How to grow Prickly pear growing and care: More than -10C
What is the best way to start growing? Plant / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction
Is it necessary to use vegetative reproduction? Yes
Difficulties or problems when growing: Spine
Recommended planting season? Spring / Summer / Autumn
Pests and diseases: Snails, slugs
Pruning season: All years
How to prune: More for design the ease to pick the fruits
Size of the plant? 2-6 m, 6-18 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition: Medium growing / Slow growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes
Blooming information Bloom season: Spring
General information about the flower Orange, yellow or pink flower, in the shape of the fruit
Pollination is done by: Bees, butterfly, humming bird
Edible fruits Fruit harvest season: Summer
Fruits pests or diseases: Snails, slugs, birds
What can be done with big quantities of Prickly pear fruits? Eat raw, juice, jams
Work requirements on the fruit: Pick the fruit is hard (the spines can be loose when try to pick them) recommend to pick the fruits with sunglass
How long does it take to bear fruit? 2-5 years
Scientific name:
Opuntia ficus-indica
Categories of growing Planting Season: Autumn Planting , Spring Planting , Summer planting
Light exposure requirements: Full sun Plants
Climates that the plant can grow: Desert Climate , Mediterranean Climate , Subtropics Climate , Temperate Climate , Tropics Climate
Growing speed of the plant: Average growing plants , Slow growing plants
Plant life-form: Cactus , Perennial plant
Plant Uses: Drought tolerant plants , Edible plants , Ornamental plants
Requirements for watering the plant: Small amounts of water
Hardiness zones: Hardiness zone 10 , Hardiness zone 11 , Hardiness zone 12 , Hardiness zone 13
Ornamental parts: Ornamental flower , Ornamental fruit , Ornamental plant
Leaf color:
Blooming season: Spring flowers
Flower colors: Yellow flower
Harvest Season: Summer Harvest
Edible Parts: Edible Fruit
Culinary uses: Eaten raw , Fruit , Ice pop & Ice cream plants , Jams , Juice