Perennials, Weeds > Opuntia > Opuntia humifusa > Opuntia humifusa
Opuntia humifusa
Prickly Pear, Devils Tongue, Eastern Prickly Pear
Origin: Native to the Point Pelee Provincial Park, Ontario, the only location where it is known to grow in Canada but distributed across most of the eastern United States of America.
| Family |
| Cactaceae |
| Genus |
| Opuntia |
| Species |
| humifusa |
| Category |
| Perennials, Weeds |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2a - Requires cool season protection under glass. |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H3 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -35 - (-1) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -30 - 30 |
| Height |
| 30 cm |
| Spread |
| 100 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Shape |
| Low and sprawling. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| Habitat |
| Grows in full sun and sandy soil in a savanna, where regular fires control overhead vegetation; it is intolerant of shade. In Canada at Point Pelee, the climate is often humid and hot in summer while winters are quite cold. The weather is quite variable in this continental climate because of the conflict between tropical and polar climates. |
| Fruit Description |
| Seed is distributed by wild turkeys. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The A. M. Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. |
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