Opuntia macrorhiza
Origin: Colorado
Improvement status: Wild
Seeds per packet: ~15
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Perennial
Also called "prairie pricklypear" or "big-root pricklypear", this western native species can be found growing from Mexico to Minnesota and from the Rocky Mountains and California to the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. It's one of the most cold hardy species of cactus pear, likely in part due to its short stature (plants rarely exceed one foot in height). It has a clump-forming, semi-prostrate form. Plains pricklypears produce red-purple fruit that are slender, juicy, and tasty. The fruit follow its spectacular yellow and red-orange flowers which are very attractive to a wide range of pollinators. Like other pricklypears, pads broken off from the plant can survive for a long time and will readily root once they come into contact with soil. This species has a large underground root, helping it to store water and making it very drought tolerant. Like other cold-hardy species, the pads drain themselves of moisture in the winter in order to be able to withstand deep-freezing and repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Our seed comes from wild plants harvested by our friend and longtime grower Andy Hahn in Colorado.
GROWING TIPS: Seeds need no pre-treatment, but may benefit from some scarification (such as rubbing with sandpaper). Surface sow seeds and keep well watered until tiny sprouts appear.
