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Santa Rita Prickly Pear

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The Santa Rita prickly pear is the classic purple prickly pear from the Sonoran desert. Featuring purple tinged pads with yellow flowers in the spring, this cactus can grow to be 3'x3' when planted in the ground. Reliably hardy to the mid teens at night. The purple hue intensifies in response to sunlight, drought and temperature changes.

Ornamental Uses:

Landscaping: The Santa Rita Prickly Pear is widely used in landscaping for its ornamental value. The striking purple to bluish-gray color of the pads adds visual interest to gardens and outdoor spaces.

Accent Plant: It serves as an accent plant in xeriscapes, rock gardens, and water-wise landscapes.

Erosion Control: The dense growth habit of this prickly pear makes it effective for erosion control on slopes.

Container Gardening: Due to its compact size and attractive coloration, it is suitable for container gardening, allowing for versatility in placement.

Flowering:

Opuntia santa-rita produces vibrant yellow flowers, often with reddish centers. The flowers appear in late spring to early summer and are followed by the development of pear-shaped fruits.

Culinary Uses:

The fruits of the Santa Rita Prickly Pear, commonly known as tunas, are edible. They can be peeled and eaten fresh or used in various culinary applications, such as jams and beverages.

Prickly Pear design and application suggestions:

Opuntias, the prickly pear family of cacti, can be used in many different ways. In the landscape, the prickly pear family can be used as a very nice contrast to other cacti and succulents. The rounded pads, beautiful flowers of yellow, orange, red and pink plus different pad colors and sizes offer distinguished contrast in the landscape or in a nice container. Some prickly pear species can be used as a succulent groundcover. Some prickly pears, like the Santa Rita “purple” prickly pear, are ideal as unique pieces interspersed throughout the landscape or a nice contrast to a group of cacti and succulents in pots. Prickly pears are also very forgiving. They will tolerate the hottest parts of your landscape and like it! The prickly pear family also thrives on very little water and can take very cold overnight temperatures.

Prickly Pear design and application suggestions:

Opuntias, the prickly pear family of cacti, can be used in many different ways. In the landscape, the prickly pear family can be used as a very nice contrast to other cacti and succulents. The rounded pads, beautiful flowers of yellow, orange, red and pink plus different pad colors and sizes offer distinguished contrast in the landscape or in a nice container. Some prickly pear species can be used as a succulent groundcover. Some prickly pears, like the Santa Rita “purple” prickly pear, are ideal as unique pieces interspersed throughout the landscape or a nice contrast to a group of cacti and succulents in pots. Prickly pears are also very forgiving. They will tolerate the hottest parts of your landscape and like it! The prickly pear family also thrives on very little water and can take very cold overnight temperatures.

Why purchase our Prickly Pear?

Our prickly pears are grown in their native habitat right here in Southern Arizona. Raised outdoors with just the right amount of water and fertilizer, they come to you in their natural form. These plants do not come to you from a greenhouse. They are already hardy to whatever growing conditions you have to offer. You will not see any evidence of pads getting skinny and reaching for light. The prickly pears present the same appearance as you will find them in their native habitats.

If you want to plant them in a container for a sunroom, patio or window planter, great! If you want to take your new prickly pear cacti and plant them in the ground, also great! No acclimation needed. Our plants are ready to go!

Reliable packaging and shipping

We strive to offer the most healthy cacti and succulents you can find anywhere that are shipped right to your door. Our plants are professionally packaged with expertise honed by shipping amazing plants to customers like you for over 20 years. Our packaging process ensures a bare minimum of damaged orders. All of our plants are wrapped in bubble wrap and tape, which should not be taken off until your plant is in its final home. The bubble wrap offers you and the plant additional protection while planting. All of our plants are shipped bare root.

Reliable packaging and shipping

We strive to offer the most healthy cacti and succulents you can find anywhere that are shipped right to your door. Our plants are professionally packaged with expertise honed by shipping amazing plants to customers like you for over 20 years. Our packaging process ensures a bare minimum of damaged orders. All of our plants are wrapped in bubble wrap and tape, which should not be taken off until your plant is in its final home. The bubble wrap offers you and the plant additional protection while planting. All of our plants are shipped bare root.

Customer Reviews

Based on 43 reviews
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S
S.G.

Gorgeous cactus, really great company, will definitely order from them again

E
Eric Teeter
Cool cactus

I received my cactus in great condition and planted it in a pot immediately. It has been doing great in my sun room here in upstate NY, and had even had an entire new pad of growth with about a month and a half. Have already ordered 2 other cactus’ from Cactus Outlet and they also arrived in great condition and are already growing more pads. Will definitely buy more. I never thought I could grow a cactus in Upstate NY

B
Bernard Negrin
What can I say!!!

If you want to get into cactus land, you are in the correct place.
Not only are there plants fully healthy, and easy to plant, with the correct soil ( Yes, they do sell it), but there hey are beautiful.
Come here for your cactus needs, for they know their business.
The packing was also five star.

W
Wilbur Smith
Santa, Rita

The cactus came very well packed and was in great condition. I larger than I thought it would be. Will definitely use their store and recommend it to others in the future.

J
John Houston
It stands alone

Our cactus arrived in great shape. It has been planted in a pot (since we live in New York), and for now at least it is inside because of all of the rain we have been receiving. So far the cactus is standing tall. There is no obvious way to tell how happy it is, but it certainly does not appear to be unhappy. Really looking forward to seeing it grow and become a part of our family. The entire purchase and shipping went flawlessly. Thank you!

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