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Optunia humifusa cactus plant showing off its many beautiful buds which grows out of the each pad.

Origin:  Native to USA
Family:  Cactaceae
Light:  Full sun.
Height:  4'-6'
Spread:  1'-6'    
Blooms: Bright yellow, 3-4" across, in spring
Foliage:  Green, flattened fleshy pads 2-6" long, oblong-shaped, with fine sharp spines
Fruits:  Called 'tunas', 2-3" reddish green, edible, tastes like watermelon
Soil:  Well-drained, dry, sandy, drought tolerant
Propagation: Cuttings
Uses:  Rock garden, containers, mixed borders, natural areas, xeriscaping
Caution:  Pads have sharp bristles, wear gloves
Comments:  Optunia humifusa or Hardy Prickly Pear or Prickly Pear or Prickly Pear Cactus or Devil's Tongue is a low-growing and slow-spreading cactus.  If allowed to grow freely, it will eventually form a large colony.  Anyone can grow this beautiful perennial plant just by sticking a pad into the ground as it roots easily.  Occasionaly, I keep my Prickly Pear Catus plant trimmed to keep it neat and tidy.  Also known as Optunia compressa, Optunia humifusa cactus looks stately with its beautiful buds and blooms which really brightens up an otherwise dull looking area in the dry garden. The pads are called 'nopales' in Spanish and are popularly used as a cooked vegetable dish in Central American and Mexican cuisine while the Native Americans eat all the different parts of the cactus plant either raw, dried or cooked.
USDA Hardiness Zones :  3-10

Reddish green pearlike fuit of the Devil's Tongue called 'tunas' in Spanish and are tasty and juicy like a watermelon

 
Attractive lemon-yellow blooms of the Hardy Prickly Pear measuring 3-4" wide.