bringing a wild cactus from one state to another to replant

I am vacationing in the Outer Banks in North Caroline and i found a flowering cactus growing wild near a small swamp, I would like to take part of it home with me to Pennsylvania and replant it in my garden.* Is it too late in the season to do that and will it survive the seven hour ride home?

*

Thank you,* Wendy Stalsby

Hi Wendy,

Hope you are enjoying your vacation.* Digging plants from the wild is a big 'NO, NO' unless they aren't native plants. In most places it's illegal to do so.* If you can get seeds that would be ok.* It would be best to take photos and then we can try and search to id the particular cactus you found so we can try and id it to see if it's a native or you can purchase seeds or plants that have been cultivated without taking from the wild.

There are 3 native cactus in North Carolina.*

Cocklebur prickly pear aka Opuntia pusilla
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/oppu.html

Dwarf prickly pear aka Opuntia humifusa
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ophu.html

Opuntia dilenii is the largest and is very rare.
http://images.google.com/images?ndsp...i&start=0&sa=N

You might find this article from North Carolina State University helpful.
http://lee.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+83

Info about digging from the wild.
http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningg...nYouDigIt.aspx
http://www.wildaboutgardening.org/en...ion1/index.htm
http://american.edu/ted/PLANT.HTM

Newt