In the landscape
Border · Coastal · Container · Meadow · Naturalized · Slope · Drought tolerant · Edible
Data sources
Prickly Pear Cactus
Opuntia humifusa · Succulent
Prickly Pear Cactus is a slow-growing succulent, hardy in USDA zones 4-9, that matures to about 6–12 in × 1–1.5 ft. It does best in full sun with low water needs in well-drained, occasionally-dry and very-dry soil. Expect yellow and red blooms in summer. It attracts bees, stands up well to deer, drought and dry soil and grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 4-9
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 6–12 in × 1–1.5 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry, Very-dry
- Bloom color
- Yellow, Red
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Attracts
- Bees
- Tough against
- Deer, Drought, Dry soil, Heat, Rabbits, Salt
- Native to
- Eastern and central United States
Will it survive your winters?
We score Prickly Pear Cactus’s freeze-trouble range against the real coldest nights your area has recorded.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
More plants for your zone: Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 7 · Zone 8 · Zone 9
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