Eastern Prickly Pear is the most widespread native cactus of eastern North America, growing from New England to Florida and west to the Great Plains. Its flat, paddle-shaped pads bear clusters of spines and treacherous tiny glochids, and it produces brilliant yellow flowers followed by edible, wine-red fruits called tunas. It thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky open habitats and is an important component of coastal sand dune and pine barren ecosystems. The fruits and pads were used as food by Indigenous peoples across its range.
Best time to see a Eastern Prickly Pear
The best time to see a Eastern Prickly Pear is March–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 9,335 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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