Opuntia monacantha ‘Joseph’s Coat’

Joseph’s coat prickly pear is colorful and hardy, with thin pads. Can be floppy and pendulous or upright. Yellow flowers.
height 3–15
width 3–20
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots, Wind
water
needs		 Low
water
info		 Opuntia are extremely drought-tolerant, which means that no additional water should be needed once the plant is established. Newer plants might show that they are thirsty when their leaves begin to shrivel. If this happens, give them a bit of water; otherwise they might start to drop their paddles. Often these shed paddles will root and grow once rain comes.

To keep your opuntia plump and lush-looking, water it every two or three weeks during the summer.

Opuntias prefer good drainage, but they are tolerant of a wide range of soils.
hardy
to		 20F
exposure Part Shade – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin Hybrid
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 8, 9, 11–23

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

These cactus can be pruned by selectively removing paddles to accentuate a more upright, open, or bushy form. Opuntias are delicate and arms snap off easily, so be sure to keep them away from high traffic areas. These arms can easily be propagated by laying them on their sides on cactus mix.
Any opuntia that looks fuzzy and cute shouldn’t be touched! The fuzz is actually clusters of tiny spines. If for some reason you do get a handful of them, they can be removed by sticking tape on them and then removing it, or in severe cases covering the affected area with wood glue, letting it dry, and then peeling it off.