{"title":"Opuntia","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOpuntia\u003c\/em\u003e is a rather large genus of Cactaceae, the cactus family, containing more than 90 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/buy-succulent-plants-online\"\u003esucculent\u003c\/a\u003e species native to the deserts of the Americas. They are amazingly adaptable and can be found native in almost every US state and Canada.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOpuntia species have a distinctive look, with flat pads (phylloclades), beautiful, large flowers and fig-sized, maroon fruits. Both the fruits and the young pads are edible provided that you carefully remove all of the thorns and glochids (small spiny hairs). Some people also use opuntia sap as a hair conditioner. How ironic to get rid of dry \"cactus hair\" by putting cactus in your hair!\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eSome of the more popular Opuntia cultivars are seemingly spineless but are still armed. There are two types of barbed protrusions on Opuntia: the large spines that you can see and the tiny, hair-like barbs called glochids. Spineless ones \u003cu\u003estill\u003c\/u\u003e have at least a few glochids which can get under your skin and are very irritating. This trait also makes Opuntia deer-resistant.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eTips for Growing and Caring for Opuntia (Prickly Pear Cactus)\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePrickly pear cactus prefers to grow in full sun and very well-drained soil, as it has no tolerance of wet feet, especially in winter. They are also salt-tolerant plants. The amazing flowers attract bumblebees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Opuntia is a tough group of plants and quite drought-tolerant. Try growing in a Southwest-themed garden, rock garden or intermix it with fine textured perennials such as \u003ca title=\"See more coreopsis for sale\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/coreopsis\"\u003ecoreopsis\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"See our amsonia collection\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/amsonia\"\u003eamsonia\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca title=\"See all of our available penstemon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/penstemon\"\u003epenstemon\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out our in depth article on \u003ca title=\"Article on Cacti for the Southeast\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/blogs\/articles\/cacti-in-the-southeast-succulents\"\u003eCacti for the Southeast\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"opuntia-cacanapa-ellisiana","title":"Opuntia cacanapa Ellisiana","description":"\u003cp\u003e(aka: Opuntia 'Burbank Spineless') Thanks to Scott Ogden and David Ferguson for pointing out a major error...the plant we offered as 'Burbank Spineless' is the wrong plant. Burbank's plant is a form of the less hardy Opuntia ficus-indica. Our plant is a spineless selection of the US\/Mexican native Opuntia cacanapa named 'Ellisiana'. For us, this fast-growing but compact opuntia makes a 3' tall x 6' wide deer-resistant mound (in 5 years) of 6\" grey-green spineless pads. In August, the clump is topped with large, bright yellow flowers...a bumblebee oasis, followed by large red \"pears.\" Well-drained winter soils are vital for best performance.\u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":21026852933,"sku":"5564","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Opuntia-cacanapa-Ellisiana.i-5564.s-20181.r-1.jpg?v=1791814327"},{"product_id":"opuntia-fragilis-potato","title":"Opuntia fragilis Potato","description":"\u003cp\u003e(aka: Opuntia debreczyi, Opuntia fragilis var. denudata) To borrow some 1970s lingo, you've gotta check out this pad. We usually don't use the word cute to describe a prickly pear cactus, but Opuntia 'Potato' is the exception. This western Colorado form of the dwarf Opuntia fragilis forms a tightly clustering clump of thumb-sized near-spineless pads, eventually forming a 3\" tall x 2' wide patch. This tremendous rock garden specimen also takes on a lovely winter blush of purple in cold weather. Opuntia 'Potato' is grown for its foliage and form, but it also occasionally produces bright yellow flowers in late spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19471895625815,"sku":"14256","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Opuntia-fragilis-Potato.i-14256.s-65715.r-1_763114a5-7365-4cbf-ae4e-0fe57f919de5.jpg?v=1791814510"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/collections\/Opuntia-fragilis-Potato-1900x350_320c69d0-33ee-49e4-8779-639dbbdcfb24.jpg?v=1686150910","url":"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/opuntia.oembed","provider":"Plant Delights Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}