Opuntia phaeacantha Mojavensis - Prickly Pear

The Opuntia phaeacantha Mojavensis is a cactus with large growth and perfectly hardy in a very well-drained soil. This vigorous relative of the prickly pear forms, just like it, a large bush composed of flat branches commonly called paddles due to their shape. The paddles of this species are large, thick, and round, with a bluish color, and bear strong white prickles with a red base. Its tender yellow spring flowering is followed by the production of very beautiful red edible fruits, which should be carefully rid of their tiny but formidable prickles. Amazing in a minimalist decor, spectacular against a backdrop of rocks and blue sky, it naturally structures exotic, contemporary settings, and effectively protects the boundaries of a dry and wild garden.

The Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis is a succulent shrub devoid of true leaves from the cactus family. This botanical species is native to the Mojave Desert, which extends from southern California, but also spills over into the states of Arizona and Nevada. The Mojavensis form, larger than the type, and perhaps easier to cultivate because it is less sensitive to humidity, can reach and even exceed 1.50m (5ft) in all directions under favorable conditions. The vegetation is composed of a "trunk" becoming woody over time, dividing into large, round, fleshy, and fairly uniform-sized flat branches called articles or cladodes. Their surface, ranging from green-gray to bluish, is quite smooth but abundantly covered with white prickles with a red base surrounded by tiny prickles called glochids, which are very dangerous when handled. Flowering takes place in May-June with several flowers appearing on the edges of the paddles. Their color is a pale yellow washed with pink in the center, highlighted by a diaphanous texture, measuring 5 to 12cm (2 to 5in) in diameter. The flowers give way to round fruits, of a good size, also heavily covered in glochids, which turn purple-red when ripe. They are edible, but less flavorful than those of the Prickly Pear, Opuntia ficus indica.

Cultivable in almost all regions, this "cactus" is hardy down to -20°C (1°F) without protection, but in a perfectly well-drained, stony, rocky, or sandy soil. It is a worry-free plant in most climates, even severe ones. It will find its place in a large rock garden, a gravel bed, or at the boundaries of a dry garden, where its sharp silhouette will stand out admirably against a minimal and austere decor, populated by fairly hardy candelabra cacti (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata), agaves, Hesperaloe parviflora. It can be associated with other plants that thrive in dry soil with a more classic appearance, such as the giant fennel, large rockroses (Cistus laurifolius), Melianthus major, Vitex, and arborescent Euphorbias (E.mellifera or dendroides), equally undemanding plants. Planted as a dense hedge, Opuntia Mojavensis will constitute a first-class defensive hedge. It should be kept away from pathways and children due to its formidable spines, as well as the transparent, almost invisible to the naked eye, prickles that penetrate our skin with disconcerting ease and are difficult to remove.