Eastern Prickly Pear
4.7 out of 5 (29 experiences)
Survivor
Fast grower
Also known as
Smooth Prickly Pear, Smooth Prickly Pear, Devil's-tongue, Indian fig and Opuntia vulgaris
Taxonomy
Opuntia humifusa
Opuntia
Cactaceae
Caryophyllales
How to care for Eastern Prickly Pear
How often to water your Eastern Prickly Pear
every 12
Eastern Prickly Pear needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesnāt get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
12
Finding light for Smooth Prickly Pear in your home
a window
Eastern Prickly Pear love being close to bright, sunny windows š.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Eastern Prickly Pear does not tolerate low-light š«.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Eastern Prickly Pear in your home š”.
How to fertilize Eastern Prickly Pear
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil itās likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Eastern Prickly Pear after it doubles in size or once a yearāwhichever comes first.
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Why is my cactus floppy? š ššµ Hey #CactusClique and #Cactus loving Greggers, I have a problem. Why is my cactus so floppy? š This guy is a #PricklyPearCactus, and heās been growing this new pad for a couple months after flowering. The original pad was placed into the cactus soil unrooted with another prickly pear species, and two other pricklies have been added since then. His two lower pads have always been a little wrinkly, but over time theyāve been able to stand on their own without stakesā¦ until now. I water when the soil is dry, I keep them under a plant light. And I try to support the floppy pad when itās too slumped over. Any suggestions out there as to how I can help this guy?
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Hey #CactusClique and #Cactus loving Greggers, I have a problem. Why is my cactus so floppy? š This guy is a #PricklyPearCactus, and heās been growing this new pad for a couple months after flowering. The original pad was placed into the cactus soil unrooted with another prickly pear species, and two other pricklies have been added since then. His two lower pads have always been a little wrinkly, but over time theyāve been able to stand on their own without stakesā¦ until now. I water when the soil is dry, I keep them under a plant light. And I try to support the floppy pad when itās too slumped over. Any suggestions out there as to how I can help this guy?
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Cactus Concerns, part 2 Hello again! This is my #PricklyPearCactus, and they had some amazing blooms a few weeks ago. Now the blooms are weird, hollow stumps. Do I just leave those on? Or should I remove them? To be clear, Iām not talking about the new growth in the photo below; Iām talking about the weird little arms below it. ššµš¤·š» #cactusquestions #QueerPlantParents #afterblooms
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We've finally woken up here in the "north!" After a loooooong 6 month dormancy, every one of these guys is alive and popping off. Tons of new pads coming, and even the pads that broke off during planting made it through the winter and are growing. Pleasantly surprised that I didn't lose any during their first big freeze! Anyone else up here finally getting growth outside? #cactus #cactusclique #outdoorgrowing #succulentsquad #opuntia #happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict
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Root Rot? #PricklyPearCactus my plant has started going soft and gray at the baseā I held off on watering for a while, but want to know if this is redeemable ? Is it root rot? Whatās the best move here!
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Why is my cactus wrinkled and squishy? A couple weeks ago Elvis started to wrinkle and become squishy, I water my cacti once a week but I figured maybe this cactus should be watered less so I began watering Elvis once every 2 weeks and it's only gotten worse. What do i do?
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I wasn't expecting these things to root so fast š š š #happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #rootporn #planttherapy #cactusclique
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Iām looking for a new pot for this baby since the one I have doesnāt have any drain hole but do prickly pears like more room or less room? I know succulents can be kind of picky I didnāt know if these guys are too #PricklyPearCactus
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Whatās the white fuzzy stuff? My varigated prickly pear has been getting this fuzzy stuff on it? Is this normal? Should I scrape it off?
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What can I do for this little cactus guy? So I actually found this cutie outside during the summer, and wanted to see how it would do in a pot inside. Itās looking much more shriveled than when I first found it, the bottom part is especially brown and wrinkly. Whatās wrong? :(
Care Summary for Eastern Prickly Pear
Eastern Prickly Pear
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 12 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4ā pot your plant is in, and that it doesnāt get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Survivor 22
Fast grower 8
Easy to propagate 8
Blooms easily 3
Large, lush leaves 2
Browns easily 1
01/23/2022
I get nervous in the fall/early winter when he shrivels upā¦but always comes back with new growth.
Survivor
11/07/2021
Prickly pear cacti are really easy to care for. However, they do get quite large and tall. I was really surprised how big the cactus got despite being indoor and without grow lights. I keep him by the brightest spot in my apartment, in a south facing window. I let the pot soil aerate after watering by tilting it in the saucer so the draining hole doesnāt get moldy.
Fast grower
Survivor
09/24/2021
Easy to care for and always looks healthy. Also roots well so the little growths can be replanted for new Prickliesā¦
Easy to propagate
Survivor
09/02/2021
My experience with my prickly pear has been unique. I have a bearded dragon and they enjoy prickly pear as a special treat. So, I went to a local nursery and was given a free propagate with two existing buds from a friend. I have now had it for a month and a third bud has begun. My biggest note so far is that it is very slow growing (over the course of a month the third bud has only grown by a centimeter). However, the plant is hardy and took to the soil very well. Have some patience with this one!
Easy to propagate
Survivor
07/24/2021
Be careful. Doesnāt get its name for no reason. Very easy to get prickles from the one!!!
06/17/2021
Easy to maintain and forget about. Best in my bathroom so far.
Fast grower
Survivor
06/01/2021
I love this. I got him from a park near muse. My first succulent propagation. Super easy. Followed some online videos and tips and he has roots in no time. Let keep in mind my green thumb stays yellow and down.š Heās made me one happy plant mama.
Easy to propagate
Survivor
Browns easily
05/24/2021
Handle with heavy duty gloves when potting. Itās spines are tiny and hard to see. When they make contact with skin theyāre painful and difficult to remove.
Fast grower
Easy to propagate
Survivor
04/08/2021
I just rescued this prickly pair. He rooted fast and is thriving. He will produce offshoots soon and is very interesting to look at.
Survivor
04/07/2021
I love my prickly pear. She is a rescue cactus and had no roots. Iāv had her 1 month had she has 3 new growths. Sheās beautiful.
Fast grower
Survivor
03/31/2021
I really love the look of cacti pads. šµ
Survivor
03/31/2021
Super slow grower, but easy!
03/25/2021
When full grown the fruits and the fans are edible. However, you have to be very diligent in removing the spines.
Easy to propagate
Survivor
03/03/2021
It is a slow grower.
Survivor
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