University of Florida Plant Information Opuntia spp. Prickly Pear Cactus
FPS448
Pronunciation: oh-PUN-shee-uh species
Common name(s): prickly pear cactus
Family: Cactaceae Plant type: shrub
USDA hardiness zones: 3B through 11 (Fig. 1) Planting month for zone 7: year round
Planting month for zone 8: year round Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round Origin: native to Florida
Uses: mass planting; border
Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant
1. This document is FPS448, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Reviewed February 2014. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.