Prickly Pear cactus blooming in cultivation

This native cactus is growing on our third floor balcony in the Philadelphia house.  From time to time it will drop a segment and we will put it in a new container with some sand in a little bit of soil hopefully to mimic the way it grows along the Jersey shore .   Then a new cactus will grow. Now it is flowering  abundantly!

Having the cactus on this balcony is a strategic move. We wanted a plant that was basically zero maintenance.  The balcony gets plenty of sun and other plants have proven to not survive without regular watering.