Eastern Prickly-Pear

Opuntia humifusa

The pads of this native cactus are ovate disks about 6-7 inches long and up to about 1 inch thick, generally smooth but punctuated with a regular pattern of pores that have tufts of spiny hairs and occasional spines. Buds grow from the upper edges of the pads and open into attractive yellow flowers about 3 inches across; each flower has many stamens and blooms for only one day before withering.

To 2 feet, but often prostrate; sun, sandy soil.

Summer (June-August).

  The yellow flowers often have an orange center.

25 July 2020.

Prickly-Pear, 25 July 2020.