A Guide to the Mesmerizing World of Prickly Pear Cacti Varieties

What do you see when you think of a prickly pear cactus? I bet you see a plant that is a few feet tall and wide, with green flat pads and spikes growing out of small lumps.

That does describe one type, but there are so many more types of cacti in the Opuntia genus!

There are species that grow low like ground covers and species that are 15 feet tall or more. There are also species that are edible.

Some have green pads but you’ll also find species with pads in cream, pink, purple, gray, and blue. There are even variegated options! And we haven’t even touched on the flowers yet.

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There are dozens of Opuntia species native to the United States and around 200 throughout the world.

There is an Opuntia species that will do well in a dry, sunny spot in your garden.

In our guide to growing prickly pear cactus, we talk about how to bring these desert plants into your yard. In this article, we’ll take a look at 19 of the best Opuntia varieties for your garden.

Before we chat about the best of the best, we should clarify a few terms. The big, roundish parts of the plant are known as “pads,” but they are technically called cladodes.

Cladodes are stems that have been flattened instead of real leaves. Feel free to use this fact at your next trivia night!

Prickly pears can have both spines and glochids. Many of us find spines by accident when we step on or brush up against their long, spiked parts.

They kind of resemble hairs, but they sure don’t feel like it. Once they get into your skin, it’s hard to get them out. They cause pain, burning, and intense irritation.

Prickly pear pads and fruits are edible, though they vary in their palatability. If you do decide to eat them, you should always remove any spines and burn off the glochids first.

With those terms clarified, let’s dive into 19 of the best prickly pears for your landscape.

If you want to grow an edible prickly pear cactus, O. ficus-indica is a good choice.

It’s the most widely cultivated species in Mexico and usually the one you find in markets. When people say “prickly pear” or refer to “nopal,” it’s usually this species they’re talking about.

It is grown as a food crop all over the world, both for the fruits and the edible pads. It is sometimes called the Indian fig, the barbary fig, or the fig opuntia.

Experts aren’t sure exactly where it came from in the wild because it has been grown for so long, but they think it’s from central Mexico.

It is grown all over the world in warm, dry places about the same temperature as Zones 9 to 12, and it has spread naturally to many places. In fact, it has even become weedy or invasive in places like Australia and parts of Africa.

This prickly pear cactus can grow to be over 15 feet tall and just as wide when it’s fully grown. Its cladodes are big and thick, and they can be anywhere from 3 to 12 inches long.

Though not as pretty as some species’ flowers, these little white, yellow, or red flowers aren’t the worst. The fruits that come after them, called tunas, are some of the best. They are sweet and juicy.

Sometimes there are spines and sometimes there aren’t. The glochids aren’t very big, but you should still skin or burn them off before using the pad.

The beavertail prickly pear (O. basilaris) takes its name from the gray-blue pads, which resemble the tails of beavers.

This species grows wild in the southwest US and gets just over a foot tall. It forms clumps with hundreds of four-inch pads that spread out nicely in the garden.

The pads might have spines, though usually they do not, but they do have glochids. The flowers are the star of the show. They have three-inch magenta petals that are ruffled and have bright yellow and red filaments in the middle.

The red fruits are pretty but they’re hard, rendering them largely inedible. Birds love them, though.

You’ll find the blind cactus (O. rufida) grows wild in Texas and some parts of Mexico. It’s a popular garden plant because it doesn’t have any spines.

The name “blind prickly pear” comes from the fact that the glochids are so easy to remove that the plant can even be blown around by the wind.

Legend has it that they have blown into the eyes of humans and animals, blinding them.

For that reason, stick this statuesque prickly pear out of the way where it won’t menace passersby.

O. This plant can get as tall as five feet and as wide as three feet. It has big, thick pads that can be up to nine inches across. The two-inch flowers are yellow or orange, followed by bright red fruits.

Found growing wild across the west and midwest, brittle or little prickly pear (O. fragilis) is itty-bitty.

The pads only get about an inch wide, but they can grow in groups that are up to four inches tall and a foot wide. They are one of the cold-hardiest Optunia species out there, growing in Zones 4 to 10.

The common name “brittle” comes from how easily the pads can break off the plant. Because of this, don’t plant this where it will get bumped.

This species doesn’t flower or fruit very often, so enjoy the medium-green pads that grow on flat chains.

It stays a manageable size even though it grows to be about two feet tall and wide at maturity and has six-inch cladodes. When the plant is young, it’s not hard to see the distinct rabbit-head-like shape of this Mexican native.

This species doesn’t have spines; instead, it has lots of yellow glochids with clear white areoles that look like happy, raised polka dots.

Don’t try petting it, though. The glochids detach readily and they are a pain in the… everything.

You don’t grow this for its flowers; it’s the pads that make it stand out, and the yellow flowers only show up every once in a while.

Look for white bunny ears (O. microdasys albata), which has lots of fuzzy white glochids, contributing even further to the bunny-like appearance.

Pick up your own little cutie in a four-inch pot at Walmart. You can grow angel’s wings outside in Zones 7–11, but many people like to keep them smaller indoors in pots.

Across the southwest, parts of the southeast, and into Mexico grows the iconic desert prickly pear (O. engelmannii).

This species grows in groups that are about 11 feet tall and have round or oval pads that are eight inches wide at their widest point.

The green-gray pads have spines and yellow or brown glochids. In the spring, they have bright yellow and red flowers. The juicy red fruits are extremely tasty.

Many people know this species as the drooping prickly pear, but I like the names Barbary fig or cochineal prickly pear better. monacanthos or O. monacantha).

This South American plant looks like a tree and has drooping branches with ten-inch-long cladodes. This is how it got its name.

This species can get as tall as 20 feet and as wide as 5 feet. The plant really stands out when it’s flowers are bright yellow.

The pretty red fruits aren’t too shabby, either. Just avoid the two-inch thorns, though not all plants have them.

This warm-weather lover can’t tolerate a freeze, so it can only be grown in Zones 9 to 11.

There are several cultivars and varieties that are even more exceptional than the species. ‘Joseph’s Coat,’ for instance, has pink, cream, and green variegated pads.

You can find live plants in two-inch pots available at Walmart. Don’t worry, it grows pretty quickly and you’ll be enjoying its full glory in no time.

Does this opuntia really grow in sand dunes? You betcha! Dune prickly pear (O. drummondii) inhabits the sandy dunes of the Atlantic coast south of North Carolina.

It has short spines, and beachgoers often find it for the first time when their bare feet get caught on a loose pad.

This is because the small pads, which are usually only a few inches across, are easy to separate from the plant and grow roots in. This means that they can be spread out and hard to see in their natural habitat.

A mature plant can grow up to three feet tall and wide with clusters of pads.

With its bright yellow flowers, the dune prickly pear stands out a bit more. It also makes a lovely ground cover for a dry garden. Just don’t step on it.

O. humifusa (formerly O. comressa) is a plant that grows in the southeastern US and Mexico in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. It is also known as devil’s tongue or eastern prickly pear.

It grows to be a little over a foot tall and twice as wide. It has big green oval pads that can be anywhere from two inches to almost a foot long.

The showy, three-inch flowers are bright yellow, sometimes with a hint of red. The red fruits are juicy, flavorful, and delicious.

Watch out for the long, vicious spines of this opuntia, it has a lot of them!

It comes from southwest Utah and northwest Arizona, where it grows with junipers and pinyon pines in scrublands and desert forests in Zones 4b to 10a.

It stands out in the garden with bright pink, magenta, or yellow flowers that can be up to three inches across and are held on grayish-green pads that don’t have many spines.

About six inches across, the pads are pretty small, but there are a lot of them in each clump, and their small size really makes the flowers stand out. The fruits that follow are grayish-red.

Look for types that turn purple in the winter or one of the many lovely hybrids made from this species, like “Orange Chiffon,” which has beautiful ruffled orange flowers that look like roses.

Isla Magdelena prickly pear (O. This plant only grows naturally on Isla Magdelena and Isla Santa Margarita in Baja California, which are in Zones 9b to 11b.

It grows slowly and ends up being about three feet tall and as wide, or just a bit wider. The cladodes are six inches wide and have pinkish-orange areolas covering them. There are also a lot of closely packed glochids.

The spines also appear in clusters and are short, making them look like little starbursts. The three inch flowers are neon yellow, followed by reddish purple fruits.

The circular, yellow-green, six-inch pads of O. strigil have a lot of spines, and up to 10 of them can stick out in a starburst pattern from each crevice.

In the spring, the plant has creamy yellow blossoms that may or may not have orange accents.

You can only find this species in the wild in Texas, but many people grow it in gardens in Zones 6b to 10b. It can grow about three and a half feet high with a similar or slightly wider spread.

Want to know how the common name for this species came about? It comes from the small, round, red fruits that look a lot like marbles.

1 Old Man’s Whiskers

Native to Texas and northern Mexico, O. aciculata goes by old man’s whiskers and cowboy’s red whiskers. The common names come from the orange to dark red glochids that form in clusters. The inch-long spines might be present, but not always.

The plant grows up to three feet tall and twice as wide, with clusters of eight-inch oval cladodes. When the weather turns cold, these blue-green pads turn pink or purple.

In the spring, the pads sport three-inch flowers in yellow, apricot, orange, vermillion, or a combination of colors. After the frilly blossoms fade, the delicious red fruits form.

Grow this exceptional, slow-growing prickly pear in Zones 8 to 12.

The plains, prairie, or western prickly pear cactus are likely to be places you see if you live or travel a lot in the Midwest. macrohiza). It grows wild in grasslands where it comes from, but people like to grow it in their gardens, where it likes to fill sunny, empty spots.

In Zones 7b to 11b, it can also be found in northern Mexico and parts of Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The plains prickly pear is a small queen that doesn’t get taller than a foot. Its blue-green pads can be up to five inches tall and four inches wide, and it can spread out to be five feet wide.

The showy, three-inch flowers are yellow and red, and are followed by red fruits.

Some of the tastiest fruits in the genus come from this plant. They are juicy and taste like fruit. The spines can be over two inches long.

The purple prickly pear (O. azurea) is an eye-catching species. It grows in big groups of six-inch-wide blue pads on a plant that can get up to three feet tall and twice as wide.

The common name comes from the deep purple hue that the cladodes take on during cold weather. Young pads emerge as bright pink.

In the spring, it forms bright yellow flowers with red centers. Just imagine the contrast with the purple tone. After they fade, purple-red fruits develop. All along, the plant is accented by long, red spines held singly in each areole.

It comes from Texas and northern Mexico. There are at least five naturally occurring types and a number of cultivars, so you may find specimens that are bigger or have spines of different colors.

This opuntia is fairly cold-tolerant and can grow in Zones 6 to 10.

Santa Rita prickly pear (O. chlorotica santa-rita syn. O. santa-rita, O. violacea var. santa-rita) is a real looker.

Eight feet tall and ten feet wide, it stands out like a sore thumb, but the blue-green, round pads that grow to about seven inches in diameter are what really make this species stand out.

When the winter comes around the pads change to a striking, deep purple. The pads stay purple until the summer heat comes, even though they have bright yellow flowers around them in the spring.

It has inch-long spines and the flowers can be up to four inches in diameter.

It will probably get much smaller if you prune it or if the conditions aren’t great, but keep in mind that the purple won’t be as strong if it doesn’t get enough sun.

This plant is indigenous to Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico where it grows in Zones 8 to 11.

The statuesque Texas blue prickly pear (O. It grows in dry, hot places in Texas and Mexico, where it can get up to eight feet tall.

The big, oval pads are up to eight inches across and have a clear blue color. They grow in a branching pattern that makes a strong statement.

That’s before you take into account the two-inch-long, reddish-yellow curving spines and three-inch wide ruffled, yellow flowers. The blossoms are followed by attractive purplish-red fruits.

If this sounds like the best option except for the constant risk of being stabbed by those sharp spines, don’t worry—’Ellisiana’ is a cultivar that doesn’t have spines.

Not only does it not have any spines, but it also almost has no glochids. It is one of the only prickly pears that has this trait.

‘Ellisiana’ is suitable for cultivation in Zones 7b through 11b. The species plant is hardy in Zones 6 to 11.

The lack of glochids also makes ‘Ellisiana’ an excellent option for culinary use.

You can find cuttings available via Amazon.

It has blue-green pads and groups of yellow and red spines tucked into a bed of glochids. The wild prickly pear (O phaeacantha) is an attractive option.

When the three-inch tulip-like yellow and orange blossoms pop up it’s truly spectacular.

The red fruits are some of the tastiest, having a flavor similar to a mild pear. What makes this cactus even more interesting is that the pads can turn purple when they’re dry.

This species forms clumps that are about three feet tall and nine inches wide. The pads on these clumps are big. It grows throughout the southwest and Mexico in Zones 10 to 12.

Wheel cactus, also known as silver dollar prickly pear (O. robusta), is named for the large, round pads, which are bluish-gray and up to 20 inches in diameter.

You could easily see them doubling as wagon wheels!

Wheel cactus is endemic to Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico, and sports vicious two-inch-long spines. Plant it far away from walkways. There are some varieties that are spineless.

You don’t need to get up close to enjoy its display. At nearly ten feet tall with long branches of cladodes, this species can be enjoyed from afar.

That’s also true even when the yellow, three-inch blossoms are on full display. These are followed by tasty and attractive magenta fruits.

If you’re willing to offer it some support, it can grow even taller. I’ve seen these plants reach 16 feet tall!.

You have to live in Zones 9 or 10 to enjoy this plant.

Types of Prickly Pear Cactus

FAQ

How many varieties of prickly pear cactus are there?

Which prickly pear cactus is best?

What is the rare prickly pear?

What type of prickly pear is edible?

What is a prickly pear cactus?

The prickly pear cactus, or opuntia cactus, is a genus of flowering cactus in the shape of a pear, hence their common name. There are dozens of varieties of prickly pears, with many found in deserts of the United States and some grown as ornamentals in homes and other buildings.

How many types of prickly pear are there?

There are dozens of species of Prickly Pear that fall under the scientific classification ‘ Opuntia ‘. They produce a tasty edible fruit commonly known as Prickly Pears. There are also many non-native varieties and identification is at times a tad tricky.

Are prickly pears branched or jointed cacti?

Opuntia (‘prickly pears’) are branched, jointed cacti, usually densely spined, though a few species have no spines.

Are prickly pear cactus edible?

While they are edible, they are best suited for feeding animals. Opuntia rufida is a large shrubby or tree-like prickly pear cactus that has a bluish-green color. It has multiple branches and occasionally a somewhat defined trunk, which can grow up to 5 feet tall and 8 feet wide.

What is a purple prickly pear cactus?

Let’s talk about Opuntia azurea, also known as the Purple Prickly Pear. This prickly-pear cactus has long spines and a compact, upright form. It typically has a single trunk and shiny, pale blue-green arms that can reach a height of 3-6 feet. Alternatively, it may branch out from the base and spread more widely.

What is a prickly pear?

The Indian fig prickly pear is a fast-growing prickly pear found throughout the US and Mexico. It can grow to a height of 15 feet or more and has yellow flowers and edible red fruits. The plant requires and needs minimal watering, and its fast-growing nature makes it popular in gardens. 8. Pancake Prickly Pear