Fall Deals:
15% OFF Strawberry Trees - Barbados Cherries - Papayas
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Roselle & Egyptian Spinach - Buy One Get One Free
🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌵 SPINELESS PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (Opuntia ficus-indica) – FROM SPINES TO SUPPER 🌞🍈
Edible Pads • Sweet Fruit • Sculptural Beauty • Drought-Proof Marvel
Meet the Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus, a garden-friendly selection of Opuntia ficus-indica bred for minimal spines and easy handling. This variety delivers the same delicious pads (nopales) and jewel-toned fruits (tunas) without the wild cactus attitude. With its sculptural form, fast growth, and resilience, it’s a show-stopping choice for edible landscapes, xeriscapes, and modern design gardens.
🌿 QUICK FACTS
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Opuntia ficus-indica (Spineless Cultivar) |
| Common Names | Spineless Prickly Pear, Nopal, Nopales Cactus |
| Plant Type | Edible succulent cactus |
| Sale Size | Ships in a 4″ pot (best suited for FL, SE, and TX shipping) |
| Mature Height & Width | 4–6 ft H × 4–6 ft W (can exceed 8 ft if unpruned) |
| USDA Zones | 4–10 |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6–8 hrs + daily) |
| Cold Hardiness | Down to ≈ 15 °F (protect young pads from hard frost) |
| Growth Habit | Upright, clumping, architectural |
| Spacing | 4–6 ft apart |
| Water Needs | Minimal once established; perfect for xeriscaping |
🍈 TWO HARVESTS, ONE EASY-TO-HANDLE PLANT
Pads (Nopales)
- Flavor: Bright, lemony-green; like green beans with a citrus twist.
- Texture: Crisp when young; tender when lightly cooked.
- Uses: Stir-fries, tacos, eggs, and pickled dishes.
- Bonus: Nearly spineless pads mean easier harvest and prep.
Fruit (Tunas)
- Flavor: Sweet, refreshing — a cross of watermelon + citrus.
- Color: Golden to deep magenta depending on cultivar.
- Uses: Smoothies, jams, cocktails, and fresh eating.
- Harvest: Late summer through fall in Florida (earlier in drier zones).
🌱 WHY GROW OUR SPINELESS PRICKLY PEAR
- Safe & simple: Largely free of large spines; only a few fine glochids remain for protection.
- Water-wise: Thrives with little to no irrigation after establishment.
- Nutrient-dense: Rich in Vitamins A, C, K + magnesium + antioxidants.
- Medicinal heritage: Used traditionally for digestion, blood-sugar balance, and skin care (consult a professional before medicinal use).
- Design superstar: Bold form and clean lines complement desert, Mediterranean, and coastal styles.
- Wildlife value: Bright blooms feed bees and pollinators.
🧤 HARVESTING & PREPARATION – EASY, SAFE, & DELICIOUS
✂️ Harvesting Pads (Nopales)
- Harvest in spring–summer when pads are 4–6″ long.
- Use tongs or gloves for safety — this spineless type still carries tiny glochids.
- Cut each pad at a 45° angle from the joint.
💡 Why the 45° Cut?
- Water drains away, preventing rot in humid zones.
- The wound heals faster and calluses cleanly.
- Keeps the parent pad healthy and encourages symmetrical regrowth.
- Leave several mature pads for energy production.
- Rinse well, wipe any remaining glochids with a towel or brush, and prepare fresh.
🍳 Preparing Nopales
- Boil & Sauté: Boil 10–15 min, drain/rinse, then sauté with onion and garlic.
- Grill: Oil lightly, salt, and grill 3–5 min per side.
- Pickle: Slice thin; preserve in vinegar and herbs.
🍈 Harvesting Fruit (Tunas)
- Ripe when colorful, slightly soft, and twist off easily.
- Though nearly spineless, a few glochids may remain — remove by:
- Flaming briefly over a burner, or
- Boiling 10–20 sec and rubbing with a cloth, or
- Freezing overnight then rinsing under warm water.
- Peel and enjoy fresh or blended.
🥄 Tip: Chill fruit before peeling — firm fruit is easier to handle.
🪴 DESIGN & XERISCAPE VALUE
This spineless selection is virtually indestructible once rooted. Perfect for:
- Modern landscapes – its pad geometry and soft blue-green hue pair with stone, steel, or stucco.
- Low-water designs – thrives where irrigation lines end.
- Coastal & urban heat islands – handles full sun, reflected heat, and sandy soil.
🌞 COMPANION PLANTS FROM GREENDREAMS
Design a dynamic drought-tolerant bed with:
- Pink Muhly Grass – fluffy plumes and fine texture
- Teabush (Cassia) – pollinator-friendly sunshine blooms
- Chaya – leafy edible and soil-builder
- Aloe spp. – sculptural and medicinal
- Olive – classic evergreen accent
- Rosemary – aromatic edible shrub
- Cuban Oregano – bold foliage, culinary aroma
- Coreopsis – Florida native color
- Salvias – hummingbird magnet
💡 Design tip: Repeat three textures — one succulent, one grass, one flowering herb — for modern rhythm and balance.
🌮 QUICK RECIPE: SAUTÉED NOPALES 🌶️
Ingredients: 2 cups chopped nopales · 1 onion · 2 garlic cloves · 1 tomato · 1 tbsp olive oil · salt · lime.
Directions: Boil 10 min → drain & rinse → sauté with onion, garlic & tomato 5–7 min → finish with lime.
🥄 Tastes like: bright, citrusy green beans — a perfect taco or egg companion.
🌱 PLANTING & CARE
- Sun: Full sun (6–8 hrs +).
- Soil: Sandy or rocky; fast-draining.
- Water: 2–3 × per week for first month, then only during extended drought.
- Fertilizer: Minimal; compost or worm castings once yearly.
- Cold: Tolerates down to ≈ 15 °F; move containers under cover below 25 °F.
- Wind/Salt: Excellent tolerance.
- Pruning: Harvest pads to shape and renew growth.
🪴 Container Tips
- Use terra cotta pots (10–14″) with cactus mix + perlite/pumice.
- Let soil dry between waterings.
- Ideal indoors in bright sun or under grow lights.
⚠️ CAUTIONS
- Even “spineless” varieties have small glochids — use gloves/tongs.
- Don’t overwater; plant high & tight for drainage.
- Allow cut surfaces to air-dry before watering again.
🌟 IS THIS PLANT RIGHT FOR YOU?
✅ Ideal For:
- Low-maintenance, water-wise landscapes
- Modern architectural or desert-style gardens
- Edible & ecological plant collectors
- Florida & Southeastern growers
❌ Not Ideal For:
- Shade or poorly drained soils
- Regions with long, hard freezes
🔍 TROUBLESHOOTING
| ⚠️ Issue | 🧠 Cause | 🌿 Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 🍂 Yellowing pads | 💦 Overwatering | Reduce frequency; ensure drainage |
| 🫣 Wrinkled pads | 💧 Drought stress (new plant) | Deep soak once every 2–3 weeks |
| 🪲 Scale insects | 🪲 Sap-sucking pests | Wipe with neem oil; improve airflow |
| ❄️ Frost spotting | 🌡️ Cold snap | Cover at night; prune in spring |
🚚 SHIPPING
- Ships best to Florida, the Southeast & Texas.
- Sent Mondays via UPS Ground.
- 🌡️ Weather notice: Buyer discretion during heat/cold; allow recovery time if stressed on arrival.
🏡 LOCAL PICKUP
📍 GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
🕘 Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | 🌞 Sat 8 AM–3 PM
🌿 Visit our regenerative nursery and see what’s fresh this week!
🌾 BEYOND THE PLANT
GreenDreams designs and installs edible, ecological landscapes across Florida.
- Landscape Design & Consultation • Installation & Project Management
- Bulk Compost / Mulch / Biochar Delivery • Wholesale Plant Programs
Create your own thriving, sustainable oasis — starting with this Spineless Prickly Pear Cactus!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
