Opuntias grow with water, right temperatures, right soil and sufficent attention.
They show a remarkable abilty to come back from cold, scorching heat or neglect. But if you treat them well, they will surprise you with growth, flowers and some more growth.

Opuntias grow with water, right temperatures, right soil and sufficent attention.
They show a remarkable abilty to come back from cold, scorching heat or neglect. But if you treat them well, they will surprise you with growth, flowers and some more growth.

Opuntia polyacantha rufispina (3)

This form with nice pink flowers and pads with spines on the whole pad.

Opuntia polyacantha "Crystal Tide" (31)

This form has white flowers with red stamen on pads with quite short spines.

Opuntia polyacantha Cheyenne Wyoming (32)

This form has magenta flowers.

Opuntia polyacantha (39)

This form has champagne flowers, almost white with some yellow in the throat of the plant. Medium spined pads.

Opuntia polyacantha (44)

This form has flowers resembling those of "Crystal Tyde", but the plant looks different.

Opuntia polyacantha Jackpot Nevada (58)

This spiny plant has pink flowers and long yellow spines. Comes from Jackpot, Nevada, close to the border with Idaho.

Opuntia polyacantha rufispina Kiessling (65)

A spiny plant with brown and white spines and a nice sized yellow flower.

Opuntia polyacantha (100)

A plant with deep magenta flowers and sturdy light brown spines.

Opuntia polyacantha (406)

A plant with long light coloured spines and a soft pink orange flower.

Opuntia polyacantha "Heide" (307)

A plant with long white coloured spines and a dark pink flower.

Opuntia polyacantha E7-2 (138)

A plant with stiff spines and a pink flower.

Opuntia polyacantha E8-23 (158)

A plant from North Dakota with stiff, light coloured spines on the upper part of the pad. It carries a yellow flower.

Opuntia polyacantha "Hamburg" E8-14 (160)

A selection with a big light pink flower and a very nice spination.

Opuntia polyacantha E8-19 (184)

A plant from North Dakota selection with a big yellow flower.

Opuntia polyacantha (185)

A plant from Wyoming with yellow flowers and spiny pads.

Opuntia polyacantha (206)

A plant with spiny pads and a dark pink flower.

Opuntia polyacantha E4-19 (217a)

A plant from Wasatch, Utah with light coloured spines, not too big pads and beautiful pink flowers.

Opuntia polyacantha E5-2 (214)

A plant from Wasatch, Utah with few spines, not too big pads and beautiful rose-red flowers.

Opuntia polyacantha (218)

A plant with nice pink flowers and some spination on the upper part of the not too big pads, which points to a macrorhize influence.

Opuntia polyacantha chartreuse flowers (223)

A plant with very light yellow, almost papery flowers and relatively short spination. Looks a bit like Crystal Tide, but the flowers is different.

Opuntia polyacantha (248)

A plant from Grapes Ranch in Nebraska, with pink-purple flowers and a nice, stiff, but not very long spination.

Opuntia polyacantha (443)

A plant with bright yellow flowers and a good spination. Long brownish spines.

Opuntia polyacantha (254)

A plant from Januskowetz, Canada. A plant with spines on the whole plant with a yellow flower. Very frost hardy, which is no surprise, coming from Canada!

Opuntia polyacantha "multispina" (503)

A plant with both light and dark spines, needle like, and light pink flowers with a darker midstripe.

Opuntia polyacantha "Dakota" (548)

A plant with orange-pinkish flowers with a yellow-orange midstripe. Spines are log and yellowish .

Opuntia polyacantha "High Plains Drifter" (574)

A plant with yellow flowers with an orange midstripe. Spines are long and white.

Opuntia polyacantha Emons North Dakota (604)

A plant with yellow flowers which fade to peach. Spination gets longer with age.

Opuntia polyacantha albispina

A plant with except for the stamen, a full yellow flower. Longer spination on the upper half of the pad. Maybe of hybrid origine.

Opuntia polyacantha juniperiana DJF 1631

A plant with a nice pink flower and longer spination, noth dark and light coloured.

Opuntia polyacantha juniperiana LZ 536 (99)

A plant with a nice spined pads and pink flowers.

Opuntia polyacantha "Pforzheim" (439)

A plant with a nice pink flower and light coloured, stiff spination.

Opuntia polyacantha Silver City, Nevada (333)

A plant with a nice rose coloured flowers and light coloured, stiff spination. Possibly a natural hybrid with macrorhiza.

Opuntia polyacantha North Dakota (334)

A plant with a nice yellow flowers which fade to a light orange.

Opuntia polyacantha coral flower (326)

A plant with a coral oloured flower which fade to a soft apricot.

Pads can be big or small, with many spines, few or none.
All are very frost hardy, but a lot show problems when grown outside in North Western Europe.