Flower profile

Low pricklypear

Opuntia humifusa

Native in the lower 48

Low pricklypear is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

36states

2of our state lists

5,786U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Delaware, New Jersey

Quick look

Opuntia humifusa, commonly known as the devil's-tongue, eastern prickly pear or Indian fig, is a cactus of the genus Opuntia present in parts of the eastern United States, southeastern Canada, and northeastern Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Opuntia humifusa, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Cactaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 36 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Jersey and Delaware. ^NatureServe
In New Jersey, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. ^iNaturalist
In Delaware, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,346 research-grade sightings of it in New Jersey, ranking #68 among the 110 flowers on our New Jersey list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 570 research-grade sightings of it in Delaware, ranking #13 among the 110 flowers on our Delaware list. ^iNaturalist

Low pricklypear gift ideas

Handmade low pricklypear gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Low pricklypear art print
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Low pricklypear earrings
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Low pricklypear embroidery pattern
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (283 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
New Jersey	Native	May–July	1,346
Delaware	Native	June–July	570

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
New Jersey: Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Jersey. ^{N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1}
Delaware: Not listed Not on Rare and Uncommon Plants of Delaware (DNREC, 2024; informational, Delaware has no state plant-protection list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Delaware. ^{DE rare plants 2024}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KY (S1), MA (S1), RI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Fruit is used to make candies and jams. The pads can be eaten raw or cooked. Remove the bristles first.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Tree Cactus” (Opuntia species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records low pricklypear in 36 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

New Jersey counties with USDA records: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Union, Warren.

Delaware counties with USDA records: Sussex.