Can You Grow Nopal Cactus from Seed?

by Eulalia Palomo
Close to 200 different species of nopal cacti exist.

Close to 200 different species of nopal cacti exist.

Prickly pads and colorful edible fruit make the nopal cactus (Opuntia spp.) an exotic-looking addition to the edible landscape. This cactus is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3b through 11, depending on the species. Nopal cactus is also commonly called prickly pear cactus. Like other cacti, the nopal cactus can be propagated from seed.

Nopal Seeds

You can obtain nopal cactus seeds from a nursery or seed supplier, or harvest your own from a ripe nopal fruit. Species in the nopal genus produce rosy-colored fruits, called prickly pear or tuna fruit. To harvest nopal seeds, remove the spines from the fruit and cut it open. Scoop the flesh, including the seeds, into a sieve and mash it up. Once the pulp is loosened from the seeds, rinse away the pulp and spread the seeds on a paper towel to dry. Plant nopal seeds in spring.


Use a sterile seed starting mix when growing nopal cactus from seeds. A mix of half perlite and half peat moss works well or you can mix the perlite with sterilized compost. A flat seed-starting tray is ideal for starting cactus seeds. When planting nopal and other cactus seeds, set the seeds on the surface of the seed-starting mix and then sprinkle the top with clean sand. This will hold the seeds in place without slowing germination.


The seeds need a consistently damp environment to germinate. The best way to keep the soil damp is by watering from the bottom up. Place the seed flat in water so that the bottom half of the flat is submerged. The water will seep up through the drainage holes in the bottom of the flat. When the top of the soil feels moist, remove the tray from the water. Once the seedlings emerge, you can mist the top of the seed flat with water using a gentle spray nozzle to avoid disrupting the delicate new cactus plants.

Temperature and Germination

Temperature plays an important role in seed germination. When growing nopal cactus from seed, keep the soil between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 65 to 70 degrees at night. Heating pads, designed for horticultural use, make it easier to maintain consistent soil temperature around the developing seedlings. The nopal seedlings take about 10 days to germinate at optimal conditions but can take longer. Once the seedlings emerge, a spot on a sunny windowsill is ideal for the first 12 months.

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