Whether you call them prickly pears, bunny ears, or simply those “flat cactus pads,” paddle cacti—scientifically known as Opuntia—are among the most recognizable and culturally significant succulents on the planet.
Author: Clara Moss
Clara Moss is the gardener behind Greenmuse. Over the past 10+ years, she has grown herbs on windowsills, tested cactus and succulent soil mixes, rescued struggling houseplants, and learned many lessons through trial and error. Greenmuse is where she shares honest, practical plant care advice for real homes — based on hands-on experience, not perfect greenhouse conditions. When she’s not writing, Clara is usually propagating succulents or trying to keep a calathea happy.
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Botanical Name: Opuntia spp. Common Names: Prickly pear cactus, nopal, paddle cactus Plant Family: Cactaceae Native Range: North and South America — especially Mexico and the southwestern United States
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