Prickly pear
Opuntia ficus-indica
ShrubSecondary
Production
A near-indestructible cactus that shrugs off drought and poor soil, giving fruit, edible pads and a spiny living fence. Handle with tongs, not hands — and check it isn't invasive locally.
Tolerances & traits
- Strata
- Shrub
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Sandy, Rocky
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 8
- Min. temperature
- -8°C
- Min. rainfall
- 150 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Low
How to manage it
Near-indestructible cactus grown for fruit and edible pads, and used as a living fence; new pads root instantly from cuttings. Remove old pads to control spread and thin dense clumps for easier fruit access.
Watch out for
Spines plus tiny barbed glochids make handling hazardous — always use tongs and gloves. Classed as invasive in many Mediterranean, African and Australian regions; confirm it's legal to plant before establishing.
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