Can Prickly Pears Freeze in Winter?

Extremely Cold-Hardy Species

• The brittle prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis) has a distribution that reaches further north than any other species of cactus. According to the USDA Forest Service, the brittle prickly pear tolerates temperatures of minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant occurs as far north as areas of Alberta, Canada that approach the Arctic Circle. Two other species have native ranges that extend into Canada: eastern prickly pear, or devil's tongue (Opuntia humifusa), and hairspine prickly pear (Opuntia polyacantha). Both are cold-hardy to about minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA hardiness zone 3).

Moderately Cold-Hardy Species

• Several species of prickly pear tolerate temperatures below freezing, but experience damage in extreme cold. For example, brown-spine prickly pear (Opuntia phaeacantha) and purple prickly pear (Opuntia macrocentra) are both hardy to approximately minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA hardiness zone 5). Both plants grow natively in the American Southwest, including high deserts and mountainous regions.

Slightly Cold-Hardy Species

• Many low desert regions of the United States experience freezing temperatures at some point during the year. Prickly pear species from these climates can be considered cold-hardy, but they do not survive in colder parts of the country. For example, the beavertail prickly pear (Opuntia basilaris) tolerates temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA hardiness zone 7). Engelmann's prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) survives temperatures as low as 10 or 15 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA hardiness zone 8).

Tender Prickly Pears

• Desert regions of Central America are generally frost-free, and prickly pears from these regions are quite sensitive to cold. In temperate climates, these plants require protection from cold. Shrub-like species, such as Opuntia nuda, a prickly pear that grows in central Mexico, can be covered during light frosts. Grow larger specimens, such as the Central American tree prickly pears Opuntia inaperta or Opuntia lutea, in protected locations that never experience freezing temperatures.