free cactus..!
anyone want some prickly pear cactus?




They are the low spreading variety, Opuntia macrorhiza. Their habit is only about a foot tall, with very tiny, hard to see spines that are the devil to get out of your skin. They bloom in June in zone 6, beautiful yellow flowers that look like they're carved out of yellow crystal. The blooms only last a day or so, but they flower profusely, so you get about two weeks worth of blooms. They are hardy to zone 4. They look awful in the winter, all shriveled and laying flat on the ground, but the perk right up in the spring and send out new growth. They are edible, there are lots of recipes on line for pickling them as well as candied cactus, very good. I don't recommend them for areas where kids play or pets might nose around, but they're great in that dry, sunny spot in your garden or rock garden. Just make sure it's a well drained area, they don't like wet feet and will rot.
Very easy to plant, I will be sending fresh growth pads. Just stick them in the soil where they have room to spread and they'll do great. These particular plants are native to New Jersey and were propagated from plants that have been in my family for over forty years. I'm putting in a patio next spring and they are in the way.
Send me an email if you're interested, but do it soon, they should get stuck in the soil before frost, but, they will root if you lay them flat on the ground after a frost.
Send me an email if you're interested.
sow what you will...