Prickly Pear
by Phyllis A Molnar UCCE Master Gardener
Common name: Coastal Prickly Pear
Scientific name: Opuntia littoralis
Planting area: zones 9 through 11 USDA
Size: spreading shrub 5 to 8 feet tall and up to 10 feet wide
Blooms: spring to summer
Water needs: Young prickly pear cacti need to be watered only once every two to three weeks during the hot and dry months. Once established it is very drought tolerant.
Exposure and water needs: Full sun; prefers dry conditions and minimal water.
Coastal Prickly Pear is a member of the cactus family Cactaceae. Large clumps of wide flat green spatula shaped pads, called nopales, are covered with small needle like prickles or glochids. Yellow flowers grow along the top of the nopal and develop into purplish-red spiky pear-shaped fruit called tuna.
The prickly pear is an easy to grow natural hedge and requires little water. Provide adequate space and it will grow up to 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide. The very sharp spines make it an effective privacy shrub and a secure natural barrier.
Prickly pear is also easy to propagate. Use a cut nopal that is at least 6 months old and let it dry for several weeks to form a callous on the cut end. Set the narrow end of the nopal an inch deep into moist sandy soil. Set stones around the nopal prevent it from falling over. Do not plant too deep to prevent rot and do not water. The moisture in the nopal is enough to sustain it.
The nopal and the tuna are both nutrient rich and have been consumed by humans for generations. To prepare, the nopal must be handled with sturdy gloves to scrape and remove the spines. The slightly acidic and tart flesh of the nopal can be eaten fresh or sautéed and used in egg dishes, soups, tacos and salads. The flesh of the ripe tuna - with the spines, skin and seeds removed - can be juiced, made into jam or used in smoothies.
Prickly pear also serves as a source of food and shelter for wildlife including deer, birds and rabbits. The flowers and fruit support a variety of beneficial insects including bees, wasps and beetles.
The coastal prickly pear needs plenty of space to grow and little else. It provides, form, function and a food source for you and local fauna.
Our Advice to Grow By Workshops are back!!!
Our next workshop will be January 21st, 2023, at 10:00 to 12:00 p.m. in our Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden at 2154 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. The topic will be “Fruit Trees: How Winter Care Can Aid Warm Weather Success”.
Learn why the winter season is so important to the development of deciduous fruit trees. You'll learn how to select and plant bare root trees, how to arm yourself for dealing with pests and disease, and how winter is an important time to perform maintenance on mature trees along with a pruning demonstration. There will also be a discussion of winter care of citrus trees. This workshop will be held in our garden so please be prepared for the weather outside. Inclement weather will cancel the workshop. Register at: .
Other ways to see or reach us:
You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”
Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.
Our physical offices are now open!!!!!
Covid may still affect staffing levels, so it is best to call before heading to your local Helpline office:
San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)
Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (10:00 to 12:00)
Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)