Opuntia howeyi - Prickly Pear

The Opuntia howei is a particularly hardy variety of prickly pear, capable of adapting to almost all climates. This species forms a low and slightly spreading bush, composed of small but heavily armed prickly pear pads, with a somewhat unkempt appearance. These pads are adorned in late spring with delicate cup-shaped flowers in a soft yellow colour. They are followed by rounded fruits in a vibrant raspberry red, which are highly decorative. Hardy prickly pears are cultivated outdoors, in open ground and away from high traffic areas, in poor and arid soils. These plants then express the spirit that inhabits them, that of the desert landscapes of North America.

The Opuntia howei, a close relative of the Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica), is a succulent plant devoid of true leaves from the cactus family. This botanical species is native to arid regions of Mexico. Its habit is semi-erect, with a mature specimen not exceeding 60 cm (24in) in height, but spreading laterally for at least 1 m. Its growth is quite rapid, with the plant producing 1 or 2 new pads per year from spring to autumn. The vegetation is composed of its pads or cladodes, which are stacked on top of each other, flattened, fleshy, and thick. The base of the plant lignifies a little with age; the vegetation withstands wind and snow. The gray-green-blue surface of the pads or cladodes is abundantly covered with large ivory-white prickles with a brown base, which become golden brown over time, as well as tiny prickles called glochides, gathered in small round clusters, which are very dangerous when handled. Flowering occurs from May to July, several delicate yellow flowers appear on the edges of the pads, mainly towards their tips. The rounded cup-shaped flowers are composed of fine and slightly translucent petals. They give way to globose fruits, heavily covered with glochides, which turn bright red when ripe.

Cultivable in almost all regions, this amazing cactus is hardy down to -18°C at a minimum without protection, but in perfectly drained, stony, rocky, or sandy soil. It naturally structures exotic or contemporary landscapes, in a large rock garden, on an arid slope, or at the edges of a dry garden. It can also be used to double as a defensive hedge. It will find its place among hardy agaves, Nolinas, and arborescent Euphorbias. Pair it with fairly hardy columnar cacti, Cleistocactus strausii or Cylindropuntia imbricata. It should be kept away from high traffic areas and children due to its formidable spines.