Eastern prickly pear is widespread in eastern North America. I first encountered these in an outdoor botanical
garden in Massachusetts (I have since seen them on sandy soil in urban environments), and I was amazed to learn that there are cacti that grow that far north.
Plants: These cacti form low shrubs, sometimes
lying very close to the ground and looking rather unhealthy. Oval stem segments resembling Mickey
Mouse ears are green to red-purple, 1½-4″ (4-10 cm) by 1½-2″ (4-6 cm), and about ⅜″ (1 cm)
thick. Only the upper areoles have spines, which are gray or brownish and
¾-1¾″ (2-5 cm) long. (Sometimes there are no spines.)
Flowers: Yellow flowers are up to 1″ (3 cm) in diameter. The purplish or reddish fruits, called tunas, are ½-1½″ (1.5-4 cm) long.
Fruits: Mature fruits are 1½-2″ (3.8-5 cm) long and ½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm) across,
dull red to reddish brown, and oblanceoloid-oblongoid in shape.
Edibility: The egg-shaped fruits are edible, and
taste a little like watermelon.