This listing is for a pack of 25 seeds of the blue skinned morph of this prickly pear.

This species is extremely widespread throughout the Great Plains area of the United States, giving rise to a large number of common names including: Common Prickly-pear, Plains Prickly Pear, Devil’s Tongue, Twist-spine Prickly-pear, Twistspine Pricklypear, Bigroot Pricklypear. 

As a consequence of this wide range, it is extremely hardy and adaptable to the wide range of conditions that can be found in various habitats.  It forms compact to straggly groups of pads up to 40 cm tall with a fairly indeterminate spread.  It has large rhizomatous rootstock which aids its survival during the coldest weather during the harshest winters.  Indeed it shares this feature with many of the prairie/plains plants.  It produces large yellowish flowers in the late spring/early summer, these are followed by the prickly pear fruit which ripen throughout the summer months and are edible.

This is a very variable plant, those in the south of its range have to cope with completely different climatic extremes when compared to those in the north.  Some populations are almost spineless, whereas others have fierce spines often with twists.  This particular listing is for the most striking of all of the morphs, having a beautiful blue sheen on the epidermis which is present all year round, but more noticeable when grown 'mean' - that is to say with minimal water and fairly harsh conditions.

The plant can be grown in zones 3 through to 9, making it suitable for growth almost anywhere that a dry and free draining winter location can be provided, remember it is not the cold that kills these plants but cold and wet.  By keeping the plants dry in the colder months adds many degrees of hardiness to the plants.