Opuntia

Mon Cherry

A vigorous spreading low shrub of violet-tinting pads (in winter), exploding with huge, wax-like flowers of brilliant shocking, hot pink in spring. Heavy bud set, with many multiples of buds on each pad. A complete show-stopper, a single mature plant could have hundreds of flowers at a time! With very little in the way of thorns (as always, however- plenty of those irritating little glochids, though). Cold hardy to sub-zero; robust, non fussy cactus for your winter-hardy garden, low desert eye-candy, or even along the California coastal plain. Can be grown from mountains to lowlands. Needs LOTS of sun, good drainage, and some summer watering.