I have seen this plant out by the shore in Maryland and Virginia, I had no idea at all it was wild until I lost a bet with someone. I thought it was something that been naturalized into the sandy area. I've always liked cacti and thought they were cool, but not the least native.

According to web resources they re not only native to the state of Virginia, but native to Fairfax County.

I am not looking for precise locations, I am a photographer anyway, not a scavenger. I am curious if anyone has seen the eastern prickly pear growing wild in the county?


from Wikipedia:"Opuntia humifusa, commonly known as the Eastern Prickly Pear or Indian Fig, is a native cactus found in parts of eastern North America. It ranges from Montana eastward to parts of the southern Great Lakes, and in the dry coastal sand dunes along the eastern seaboard from Cape Cod, Massachusetts south to Florida and westward to New Mexico.[1]"
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Wild, no. I've seen a lot of planted ones though FWIW.

seen it down by indian head in maryland but never here

Do you remember if it was in a sunny spot? Maybe near the river?

I see the large prickly stems of these in the supermarkets all the time--apparently the Central Americans use them as a vegetable. Once I found two large ornamental planters full of these plants sitting in a strip of woods in the Fairlakes area. Can't figure out why someone would hide them away in there hidden by trees in the summer, but visible when the trees are bare. No houses in the area, just woods along an access road near an office building.

Corner of Guinea Road and Little River Turnpike.

All you need and a whole lot more (cotton, really? Is that like black bait?)

Odd

Driver X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Corner of Guinea Road and Little River Turnpike.
>
> All you need and a whole lot more (cotton, really?
> Is that like black bait?)
>
> Odd


I live right off 236 but have never noticed that. I will take a look at that this afternoon, Thanks.

Driver X Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Corner of Guinea Road and Little River Turnpike.
>
> All you need and a whole lot more (cotton, really?
> Is that like black bait?)
>
> Odd


Driver X is right, there is some of that cactus there. For some reason though, I always thought the owner or the house on the corner planted it there. They seem to go for tacky.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2013 11:27AM by Lazarus Mumble.

I saw the patch at 236 and Guinea. I agree with Lazarus, I looks like it was planted.

Definitely planted there at Guinea and 236, but they have a lot.
I have one in my garden that I can't kill. It wants to take over. HALP!

/

idontlikebeingrightaboutshitlikethisbutiam



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