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On East Coast/a lot of confusion about opuntia it seems:

Message from Mike coastal CT

That's very interesting Ken.

I don't know about inland...but just by what I've read and through talking with people, there seems to be a lot of confusion about opuntia on the East Coast:

Opuntia humifusa, commonly known as the devil's-tongue is native to the coastal lowlands and xeric beach scrub from the Florida Keys to southern Connecticut/Long Island. I’ve seen at least one documented native stand in every coastal state from Florida to Connecticut. Now, I don’t know (or have never noticed) if the warmer climates of the lower East Coast (say VA south) if humifusa lays to the ground in winter like along the Middle Atlantic states. They may or may not, I don't know.

Another native type Opuntia stricta, they are native from South Carolina to the Florida Keys (and beyond to the scrublands of South America). They are much bigger (grow to 7 feet tall). Here and thee you see them growing wild along the coast in South Carolina and Florida and in resdiental and commercial landscapes:












Another native type to the East Coast is Opuntia pusilla, which is found along the coast from South Carolina to Florida, they have long spines and are rarely planted in landscaping due to this. In terms of the non-native opuntia, there seems to be many different types growing along the East Coast from Opuntia ficus-indica, Opuntia cochenillifera, Opuntia cacanapa 'Ellisana' (I have 5 growing), as well as several others. There is even one in Florida that has purple pads.


I really like growing and Propagating them, so easy and takes a minimal of space.




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