![optunia prickly pear flower](http://www.adeniumrose.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/P_pear_crystal_Tide_Cream-150x150.jpg)
Prickly pear plants are know for there spines that stick into anything. Some spines will go through leather gloves even. Last year we started to grow a variety of prickly pear plants also know as optunia, nopales or paddle cactus. Prick pears are cactus that haev fantastic colorful flower blooms int he pate spring time. There are about 200 different varieties of optunia prickly pear species. Prickly pears is know for the ability to provide food for desert animals and even humans. Most prickly pear optunia pads are editable and the fruits from the dying flowers are a constant source of nutrients.
However, we grow prickly pear optunia plants the flowers! There are many flowering cactus plants but only a few that produce as many and as colorful as the prickly pear plant. from white to purples, from yellow to deep reads. The size of the prickly pear pads range from a couple inches to over 20″ long! There are even spineless (not thorns) fruiting and variegated prickly per pads.
![Optunia plant flowering](http://www.adeniumrose.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/P_pear_baby_rita_purple_pad-150x150.jpg)
When handling prickly per pads its essential that you wear thick gloves because even the very small thorns cause irritation and once you are stuck they are hard to get out! AdeniunRose Company has a variety of prickly pears some great to grow as a food source and all fantastic flowering cactus. All the optunia plants are well rooted for at least 8 months. Many of the smaller pad varieties such as baby-rita with it bright rich dark pink flower with purple has several pads per plant.