In its natural habitat, the plant is capable of growing up to 12’ feet tall. In cultivation it stays much smaller, topping out at 24”-30”. One of the easiest succulents to grow, it makes a great addition to container succulent collections. Red flowers up to 4″ are followed by red fruits on mature plants.
This cactus is native to the Peruvian Andes. It is among 300 or so species that fall into the genus Opuntia which is one of the largest genus’ in the family Cactaceae. Unlike other cacti such as prickly pear with large flattened stems or pads, Eve’s needle has cylindrical, branching trunks with small thorns and awl-shaped leaves.