Buy Opuntia 'Baby Rita'

Also Known As

Opuntia santa-rita x O. basilaris 'Baby Rita'
Baby Rita Prickly Pear

Plant type

cactus / succulent

size

H: 1'-2'
W: 2'-4'

planting zones

6a-10b

2-4 inch bagged root ball | $18

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Fewer than 25 at Cistus Nursery

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Opuntia 'Baby Rita' plant details

Opuntia 'Baby Rita' is an evergreen cactus / succulent with blue, burgundy, green and purple foliage. In spring and summer pink flowers emerge. Attracts bees and hummingbirds making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with sun - mostly sun and occasional - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Prefers to be dry in winter. Does well in average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Opuntia 'Baby Rita'

Plant type: cactus / succulent
Plant family: cactaceae
Foliage: evergreen blue, burgundy, green and purple
Mature size: 2 FT - 4 FT - wide, 1 FT - 2 FT - tall
Flowers: pink blooms in spring and summer
Uses: compact, container plant, desert garden, rock garden, tolerates summer planting, xeric

GROWING CONDITIONS for Opuntia 'Baby Rita'

USDA Zones: 6a - 10b
Sun exposure: sun - mostly sun
Watering frequency: occasional - low
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained

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Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Sage green pads that turns purple if stressed (hot & dry or in the cold). This cultivar remains fairly compact compared to other 'Rita' prickly pears. Pink flowers late spring.

By: The Other Side Nursery

One of the most beautifully colored forms of the frost hardy cacti, a compact prickly pear to 2 ft, with pads to 3-4" that emerge blue-green often aging to greenish yellow tinted pink -- in this case a natural occurrence that doesn't indicate a lack of fertilizer. Late spring, ruffled flowers add to the palette. A hybrid cross between O. santa-rita and O. basilaris, this has all the charm of O. santa-rita in a much smaller plant. Full sun with sharp drainage. Frost hardy to -10F, USDA zone 6. Great in containers.