The care secret that transformed my Prickly Pear

I'd had Prickly Pear for about eight months with acceptable but unremarkable results. Then I started really paying attention to watering sparingly and only in the active growing season and the difference over the next two months was dramatic.

architectural sculptural form that needs no flowers to impress became much more pronounced. The plant in a south-facing windowsill in full sun now looks like a completely different specimen. complete dormancy in winter with no watering confirmed that I'd finally unlocked what this plant can do. root rot from any waterlogging in winter has been less of a problem since I got the overall conditions right. If your Prickly Pear is underwhelming, look at watering sparingly and only in the active growing season first.