Opuntia, Prickly Pear Cactus, Pancake Prickly Pear 'Spineless'

This tree like Opuntia is a native here in Utah. It grows beautifully here in Salt Lake City, Utah (zone 7b). It is never damaged by the ...Read Morewinter lows here and of course by the summer highs either. I’ve seen a specimen in the suburbs around Salt Lake City that was at least 6-7 feet tall, and possibly a tad taller with an enormous sturdy trunk and 50 or so vibrant blooms all over. I am pretty confident it is at the very least 20 years old, and possibly even older. This is a wonderful plant to be used here in Utah and throughout the Southwest. I would say this is one of the most cold hardy trunk forming prickly pears that I know of for sure. I’ve read conflicting information on the hardiness of this species, but in my experience seeing healthy large ones even in the zone 7a parts of Utah tells me it’s at least hardy to 5-0 F and possibly lower. A lot of sources list it as only hardy to zone 8a though, but obviously the ones around here take those temps and a little lower on a relatively regular basis some winters and are perfectly healthy. I also know for a fact that Opuntia chlorotica is native to 7b parts of Utah at relatively high elevation, so they’re pretty hardy.

I was given a pad 4 months ago and stuck it in a pot of soil. To my surprise it has been growing like a weed. 5 new pads! Will transplan...Read Moret to my garden later this spring.

This 'spineless' form of Opuntia chlorotica accures in small pocket through-out its entire range. There are some very nice examples alon...Read Moreg Hwy 93 north of Wickenburg, Arizona.