University of Wisconsin-Madison | Botany Plant Growth Facilities
Botanical Garden
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Genus: Opuntia Species: humifusa Common Name: Prickly Pear Family: Cactaceae Order: Caryophyllales Native: Central and eastern United States Habit: Herbaceous Perennial Height: 0.5 to 1 foot Width: 0.5 to 1 foot Flowering Season: Summer Flower Color: Yellow, or yellow with reddish eye Propagation: Seed or cutting Zone: 4-9 Note: This clump-forming, semi-prostrate plant is suitable for rock and dry prairie gardens. Its fruits are edible and red when mature. These fruits are often used in jams and candies, or eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. The pads are also edible and can be roasted as a vegetable. The sap of this plant has some medicinal value. Pad shriveling is a natural process of acclimation to cold temperature. Prefers sunny, fairly dry, well-drained, organic-rich sandy soil. Poor soil drainage causes rotting. |
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