Opuntia phaeacantha Pajarito Mts. AZ Seeds -$8
One of the most iconic of the prickly pear species, this is one of a couple very large varieties found throughout the Sonoran desert and adjacent areas, forming branching stems of large pads covered in clusters of spines and reaching bushlike dimensions of 4 feet in all directions, sometimes more in diameter. Younger pads can be picked, peeled, and roasted, and this species produces large yellow flowers (sometimes with red bases) that give way to the large, juicy pink-red "tuna" fruits from which prickly pear syrups and flavorings come from (great in lemonades or ice creams, among other options). Mildly frost-hardy, but easy to keep in large sandy soil containers.
Packets contain approx. 20 seeds each; seeds require no special treatment but can be erratic germiating.