Question: I recently bought my first home in Santa Rosa. The backyard has a prickly pear cactus that’s about 6 feet tall. Since it’s the first time I’ve owned one, can you share information about it ...

The prickly pear cactus is probably the most identifiable plant (besides the saguaro) in the Sonoran Desert. The species most often seen in the wild here is Engelmann prickly pear, or Opuntia ...

Q: I appear to have a massive infestation of white, cottony cochineal scale on my prickly pear cactus. I can usually get most of it off by hosing, but much of it is hard to reach. Beyond hosing, what ...

Q: If I want to eradicate a stand of prickly pear cactus, can I just mow over it with a shredder, or do I need to burn it or dig it up or something? Peter J., Amarillo A: The Texanist, rather than ...

Q: I have a prickly pear cactus that started out in a pot, but the pot broke one winter, and the plant has been growing in the ground since. I really haven't done anything to it, and now it's getting ...

So there I was, stalking the wild prickly pear cactus. With tongs in hand, I gave each fruit a quick twist. Within 10 minutes I had 6 pounds — and all without even a scratch. After attending a ...

Q: I just read your prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus-nitida) article and wanted to report that I have six such cactus in my front yard. They have been troubled with a sticky white insect pest for ...

Q: I have a problem with the prickly pear cactus in my yard. It has developed a white substance emanating from the pores containing the needle. Soon after, the lobe thus affected starts to turn yellow ...