Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa'

Opuntia phaeacantha is a species of prickly pear cactus known by the common names brown-spine prickly pear, tulip prickly pear, & desert prickly pear.  It is found across the south-western America to northern Mexico. This Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa' variant has a slightly rosy tint to its pads, with distinctively brown thorns & large magenta coloured blooms which are yellow at their centres.  Its defences combine glochoids (small detachable hair like spines) and very sharp spines.  This makes them an unsuitable plant for children or those who feel compelled to handle their plants more than is absolutely necessary. 

Your Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa' would enjoy a position with lots of direct light.  A spot in a South Facing window sill would be ideal.  These plants are cold tolerant as low as 4°C as long as in dry, rather than damp, conditions. 

Your Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa' requires very little water and grows best in a mostly none organic material, i.e. lots of grit, sand & gravel, to assist rapid drainage.

Your Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa' has a mounding habit of flattened rose tinted green pads. These form at angles to each other making for an interesting & architectural plant. These pads are protected by clusters of spines. Each cluster bearing 1-4 spines. The spines are brown, reddish-brown, yellowish, or gray, usually darker brownish toward the base than the tip, and often over 3 cm in length.  When it flowers these are magenta in colour with yellow centres.

Your Opuntia phaeacantha Var. 'Purple Mesa' will be supplied in a 10.5 cm pot along with comprehensive care instructions based on our experience of looking after this plant in our UK home.