Jessie Keith
Family
Cactaceae
Botanical Name
Opuntia humifusa
Plant Common Name
Devil's Tongue, Eastern Pricklypear
General Description
Most cacti perish in moist summers and cold winters, but this low-growing prickly pear manages to take it all in stride. Native to most of the United States east of the Rockies, it owes its remarkable cold hardiness to its ability to shed internal moisture prior to freezing. The moderately spiny pads (which are not leaves but rather modified stem segments) virtually deflate in fall, becoming a shriveled shadow of their former selves. They bulk up again with the warmth and moisture of spring, soon producing their showy bright yellow, sometimes tangerine-hued, multi-petaled blooms. The bulbous edible fruits that follow turn purple-red when mature and have glochids (barbed bristles) on their surface. Fruits remain on plants into winter offering vital bird and wildlife forage. Though relatively low in height, plants spread vegetatively into large colonies.
This inhabitant of dunes and barrens requires sun and sharply drained average to poor soil, and is a natural for sandy or oceanside gardens, or rocky south-facing slopes. It works best in areas that receive little foot traffic, as its needles and glochids can lodge painfully in the skin. Container or trough grown specimens are also attractive and look great planted with other succulents.
The edible pads of this pricklypear were also used by native peoples as a mordant to fix vegetable dyes.
Although the pads are not actually leaves, they are treated as such in the following list of characteristics.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 9
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Plant Type
Cactus or Succulent
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
4"-18" / 10.2cm - 45.7cm
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Width
1'-3' / 0.3m - 0.9m
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Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
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Native To
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Canada
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Yellow, Orange
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Fruit Color
Purple, Burgundy
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green, Purple
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Bark Color
Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Bold
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
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Sharp or Has Thorns
Yes
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Invasive
No
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Attracts
Birds
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Self-Sowing
No
