General Information

  • Category- Flower
  • Binomial Name- Opuntia
  • Common Names- Chappal-sendh, nag phani
  • Spread- 20-30 inches**
  • Height- 18-20 inches**
  • Average Production- 50-100 flowers per plant
  • Days to Maturity- 1095-1460 days*

Environmental Requirements

  • Soil-  Sandy, well-drained
  • Soil Moisture- 15%
  • Soil temperature 18-40°C
  • Sun Requirements- Full Sun
  • Best Time to Plant- Spring (end Feb to early March)

Tips to Grow prickly pear

  1. Arrange good quality prickly pear plant fragmentation.
  2. The soil should be Sandy, well-drained.
  3. Plant the cladode/fragments. Gently press the seeds into the soil and cover them with a light dusting of soil.
  4. Cactus seeds don’t need direct sunlight the way established plants do. Keep the pots in a shaded area that’s surrounded by sunlight to allow for a warm climate.
  5.  Another way to grow prickly pear is to use a cutting from an established plant. Select a healthy pad that’s medium or large in size, and between one and three years old.
  6. Plant the pad when the cut has healed. Make a one- to two-inch hole in the soil with your finger. You can continue growing your prickly pear in a pot, or you can transplant it into the ground. 
  7. Let the prickly pear establish itself for several months before harvesting pads or fruit.

** The values are standard values but might change a bit.

*To get flowers quickly, the users can buy plants from nursery.

Flowers