>>1272913>How do I get it to spreadUsually the plant itself will do that for you. However, larger statured Opuntia tend to fare pretty poorly in colder environments because they retain so much water. In winter, that water freezes and ruptures cell walls - this can effectively kill the plant. There are some Opuntia taxa that extend up into Manitoba (O. fragilis especially), but those taxa have special adaptations that allow them to cope with freezing conditions.
If you want to encourage spread, chop off a part of any pad/cladode. The structures where the spines emerge (called areolae) are actually meristem tissue - roots should soon sprout and take hold.
