My Prickly Pear Cactus Garden

by Dad

Activity

I've never been much of gardener, I will go out once and while and play in garden, but I eventually lose interest or the plants die. Mary, my wife (who was raised on a flower farm in Saanich (near Victoria)) is even more of an unenthusiastic gardener than I am. Well that all changed a couple of years ago, we went on a family vacation to Penticton. I was intrigued to learn that there is a species of cactus that is native to British Columbia: brittle prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis). I was able to "harvest" several of these plants while there. I planted them in a planter along side of our house, and they have flourished in Vancouver over the last 3 years. What I like about these cacti, is that they stay outside of the house all year, you water them every 2- 3 weeks in the summer, then you stop watering them at the end of September, and you don't water them again for six month (not until March). It can't be more low maintenance than that, perfect for an unenthusiastic gardener like me.

Details

You can harvest your own prickly pear cactus in Penticton.

Area

Outside of Greater Vancouver

Here's my Prickly Pear Cacti in the outside planter (North Vancouver)