Opuntia gregoriana - Prickly Pear

The 'Opuntia gregoriana is a fairly typical prickly pear in terms of its shape and flowering, but easy to grow in a mild climate in well-drained soil. This vigorous prickly pear forms a dense bush that can reach a good size, made up of round and sparsely prickly pads that are adorned in spring with pretty pale yellow cup-shaped flowers, and then with edible purplish fruits. This plant, which thrives in arid soil, can be grown in open ground, on a slope, or in a large rock garden in mild regions. Elsewhere, it can be grown in a pot and overwintered indoors.

The Opuntia gregoriana, a close relative of the Barbary fig (Opuntia ficus indica), is a succulent plant devoid of true leaves, belonging to the cactus family. This botanical species is native to the mountainous and arid region of Tres Hermanos, New Mexico. Like all prickly pears, its growth consists of a stout "trunk" that lignifies with age, dividing into flat, fleshy, thick branches of fairly uniform size called articles or cladodes. A mature specimen can reach 2m (7ft) in all directions, with a moderately fast growth rate, producing 1-2 new pads per year from spring to autumn. These pads easily orient themselves towards the sun from a young age. Their grey-green surface is adorned with a few large white prickles, surrounded by tiny prickles called glochids, which are gathered in small round tufts and can be very dangerous when handling the plant. Flowering takes place in May-June with several rounded cup-shaped flowers appearing on the edges of the pads, mainly towards their tips. They are a pale lemon yellow colour and have fine, slightly translucent petals. They measure 5 to 6cm (2in) in diameter. The flowers give way to fruits that are heavily covered in glochids and turn purple when ripe. While they are edible, they are less tasty than those of the Barbary fig, Opuntia ficus indica.

Opuntias are part of the "cacti" family with a sharp silhouette, emblematic of the desolate and arid expanses of North America. They naturally find their place in the dry gardens alongside other more traditional bushes, with which they harmonize well. They can be associated with rockroses, lavenders, rosemary, Teucrium, sedums, and euphorbias that thrive in dry conditions. While this gregoriana species is not the hardiest, it can still withstand brief frosts of around -12°C (10.4°F) in well-drained soil, and its cultivation presents no particular difficulties. It can structure exotic or contemporary landscapes, in a large rock garden, on a dry slope, or at the edges of a dry garden, it can also be used in a defensive hedge. In a minimalist flowerbed, it can be combined with hardy agaves (Agave montana, parryi, or havardiana), Nolina (N.hibernica or nelsonii), Hesperaloe parviflora, relatively hardy columnar cacti (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata), with the spaces between the plants filled with small ground covers suitable for dry soil. This plant should be kept away from paths and children due to its formidable spines, and one should also be wary of the tiny, transparent, almost invisible prickles that can easily penetrate our skin and are difficult to remove.