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Tried and True Native Plant Selections
for the Mid-Atlantic
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Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly-pear)
Eastern Prickly-Pear (formerly O. compressa) is unique. Its natural habitat* is in scattered pockets from Ontario, Canada, to Florida and Louisiana, rather than the Southwest. Though infrequent throughout Virginia, it is native to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Like many of its desert relatives, it is edible, but handle with care!
*It is common in the Coastal Plain of DE and rare in PA. It is infrequent throughout VA, although locally common in some areas.
Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants:
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets