This flower is tougher than you can imagine.
In a hot desert, the only plant that can survive is cactus. Tough right? Imagine all in a sudden, this same hot desert is hailing snow, with a thick layer of snow covered. All the catcus will die. This is what your thought would be. Same as mine. But the truth is, there is cactus that can survive this weather, too.
Opuntia Humifusa, commonly named as Hardy Prickly Pear, is a native American cactus that survives in zone 2 of USDA hardiness zone (-40 to -45.6 degrees Celsius). There is not much plants left in zone 2. Among them, zero of them can survive desert life like hardy prickly pear.
Like all other cactus, hardy prickly pear is drought tolerant. While the root will be rotten if it gets too wet. This is the tricky situation, there is not too many desert area in North America (except the Sin City Las Vegas) that is cold enough to snow. Where do the plants habitat? The answer lay on the title: Cliff.
Natural habitats for hardy prickly pear are on slope or cliff. That provides enough drainage for the plant not to get rotten. With beautiful yellow flowers and red fruits, it makes a contrast against its toughness.
Beautiful but tough. Now you can apply this description to something other than your wife.
