Prickly Pear 'Santa Rita'
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Opuntia violacea santa-rita
'Santa Rita' is a blue prickly pear with lemon-yellow flowers and long black spines. When stressed by drought or cold, it turns glowing purple.
All prickly pears love hot, dry summers, need minimal water, and can withstand some cold. In the Sonoran desert where this originates, it sails through winter frost, even an occasional snowfall, and is hardy in zones 8-11.
'Santa Rita' grows slowly to about 4 feet, forming nearly perfect circles. In cooler zones, it does fine in a large container but needs full sun and minimal water. The violet coloration is infrequent and fleeting in areas with lots of rainfall.
Height: 3'-4'
Spread: 4'-6'
Bloom: March-August
Light: Full sun
Water: Low
Zone: 8, 9, 10, 11
Origin: Texas, Mexico
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
