Pennsylvania Cactus

Odd as it may seem, but this time every year the cactus that we have growing around the studio blooms with hundreds of flowers like they’re the grand finale on the 4th of July.  Honestly, being a northerner I couldn’t imagine a yearly bloom for an outdoor “Pennsylvania Cactus,” but it’s true.

About 4 years ago we planted several small plants, each with roughly 4-10 paddles. They seem to winter extremely well and have in some areas grown more than 20 times their original size.  These hardy succulents are covered in snow and ice for at least 4 months of the year.  In the summer they sit in lava rock beds and get pounded by the sun.  I believe this plant is Cactus Opuntia Humifusa and is not only spectacular but gets me craving the southwest.

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