#humifusa

[succulentsurfer]

Eastern prickly pear Opuntia humifusa flower buds growing! Ill update yallz when she opens!! 😍

[jimmy-ds-trees]

Eastern Prickly Pear

Optunia Humifusa

Take a look at this ridiculous native cactus to New England. We all think of cactus being only exclusive to arid hot desert environments, but I guess we are all wrong. I for one was surprised to see this growing at the Arnold Arboretum. The stems, or pads, can grow to 2-7 inches long, and about 1.5-5 inches wide, in zones 4-9. It enjoys loamy, sandy soils, with full sun (of course, its a cactus)

The reason these plants can be okay in New England is that they have an antifreeze chemical in their cells that prevents freezing, even in sub zero temperatures. They do in fact flower, so they are a nice addition to a garden landscape if placed correctly. 

In terms of building material, I can’t think of a worse plant. This plant would get a negative score if I could. It earns a 1 out of 10.

This plant is certainly captivating, especially how it looks. I would give this one a 7 our of 10 for beauty, not the most stunning plant, but definitely unique. It sure was a surprise to see this in New England. 

Bark: (1-3) 2

Leaves: (1-4) 2

Landscape uniqueness: (1-3) 3

Total: 7

Source:

1. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/opuntia_humifusa.shtml

2. https://www.gardenia.net/plant/Opuntia-humifusa-Eastern-Prickly-Pear

[cedarlovesplants]

the cactus i took from north carolina has been growing a pear the past two weeks! i think its an opuntia humifusa.