Santa Rita Prickly Pear Cactus

The Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia santarita) is a beautiful purple cactus native to Mexico and Southwest America. It is named after the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona. This prickly pear can grow up to 6 feet in ideal conditions but is a slow-grower so it will stay a manageable size for many years. This cactus has round fleshy pads covered in spines. The pads are blue-grey and the new growth is purple. The colder temperatures in winter intensifies that purple color. It is an easy care cactus and will add a pop of color to any collection.

AKA: Purple Prickly Pear

Light: Full sun to partial shade; this cactus requires a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Watering: Allow the soil to dry out completely in between waterings. Water when the pads look a little thin and less plump but not yet wrinkly. Water slowly and evenly until water comes out of the drainage hole; discard excess.

Humidity: Dry air to average home humidity.

Toxicity: Non-toxic to cats, dogs and humans, however be cautious around the spines as they can can cause injury.

Potting Mix: Fast draining and fast drying soil.

Additional Care: It is sensitive to wet roots so never allow it to sit in water for a long time or it will get root rot. Use tongs to move or repot this when it’s small. For larger cactus, wrap them in newspaper or blankets to move or repot.