Welcome to Catnapin's

Cactus Gallery

Prickly Pear

Cactus are strictly an American Continent (North and South) drought tolerant plant.  They come in a vast array of shapes and sizes, a few don't even have thorns.  Most have incredibly beautiful flowers.  Some cannot tolerate cold while others thrive only in the mountains.  Many of these plants are protected against poaching by federal law.

There are many species of Prickly Pear in North America.  Some are low growing, some make large dense mounds, others have trunks like trees.  Many Prickly Pear species interbred, making identification difficult.

These plants have segmented flat stems called joints (pads, leaves, or nopalitos), which vary in size and shape even on the same plant.  The moist flesh of the joints are edible in many species.  When a joint is young it has short narrow leaves that look like fat green spines.

Evenly spaced across the joints are areoles out of which spines and glochids (prickles) grow.  Identification of most Prickly Pear plants require observing the color, size, shape and placement of these parts as the pads and flowers are very similar.

Flower are 2"-4" wide.  They grow from the areoles on the top edge of the joint, but some species also flower from side areoles. Though most are yellow, orange, or red, some species have white or pink also.  Some flowers start off as yellow but fade to orange or red.  Opuntia (a large group of cactus including Prickly Pear) do not have petals, they are called tepals instead.

Most fruit (pear or tuna) ripens to red or purple, many of which are edible and can made into a red jelly that tastes like grape. The skin of the fruit is a modified joint, so they also have glochids (prickles).   The fruit is eaten by many animals.

Cactaceae - Cactus family

Prickly Pear Opuntia sp.

Flower photos taken in Taylor and Coleman Counties, Texas,May 2004

Pear photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, September 2004

Pear with seeds photos taken in Coleman County, Texas, September 2005

(Native of Texas)

> 

Prickly Pear **zc 3** Opuntia sp.

This was a young plant, so I don't know how big it gets.  No flower or fruit photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size: ?

Joints: Dark green, not quite round, about 6" wide.

Areoles: Slightly raised.

Glochids: Long, on all areoles, reddish gold.

Spines: Round; grow from almost all the areoles --- 1-2 face upward, dark red to brown, 2 1/2" long --- 3-4 face downward, cream color, 1/2"-1 1/2" long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: ?

Prickly Pear **zc 4** Opuntia sp.

The fruit shown had fallen of the plant. 

Flower photo taken in Taylor County, Texas May 2004

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native ?)

Plant size: Small, reclined where most joints touch the ground, about 12" tall and 6 feet long.

Joints: Green, not quite round, about 6" wide.

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: Long and clustered at the apex edge, giving the joints a "burr cut" look.  There are fewer glochids down the edges and very few on the face areoles.  Brown.

Spines: Round, grow on top half of joint only.  3 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point downward, gray color, 1/2"-1 1/2" long.

Flower: 3" wide, bright yellow with orange tint at base of tepals.  Stigma: yellow.  Anthers: yellow.

Fruit: 2" tall or less, bright red.

Prickly Pear **zc 5** Opuntia sp.

Similar to **zc 4** except larger pads, more spines on joint face, brown spines, fewer glochids at the joint's apex.  No flower or fruit photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size: Small, reclined where most joints touch the ground, about 12" tall and 6 feet long.

Joints: Green, not quite round, under 8" wide.

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: short, mostly on the joint's edge, very few on the face.  Brown.

Spines: Round, grow from almost all the areoles.  2 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point downward; --- grayish-brown on top about 1 1/2" long --- cream on bottom about 1/2" long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: ?

Prickly Pear **zc 6** Opuntia sp.

This is our largest Prickly Pear.  Fruit is largest, remains longest, and is the best for making jelly.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size: Large, semi-erect, 4-6 feet tall and spreads out 10 feet or more.

Joints: Green, teardrop shape, up to 10" wide.

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: Short, brown, and most are on the joint's edges, very short on the face areoles.

Spines: Round, grow on top half of joint only.  1-4 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point outward, golden brown fading to yellow, 1/2"-2" long but generally short.

Flower: 3" wide, yellow without orange at the base of the tepals.  Tepals turn bright orange with age.  Stigma is light green.  Anthers are yellow and numerous.  Prolific bloomer and can have many flowers on each joint.  Occasionally will flower on a side areole.

Fruit: 2"-4" tall, bright red to purple, plump.

Prickly Pear **zc 7** Opuntia sp.

possibly, or hybrid with **zc 6**, Cow’s Tongue Opuntia lindheimeri var. linguiformis

No flower photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size:  Large, semi-erect, about 4 feet tall and spreads out 10 feet or more.

Joints: Blue-green, teardrop shape with a sharp pointed apex, about 7" wide and 12" tall.

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: Short, golden-brown, and most are on the joint's edges, very short on the face areoles.

Spines: Round.  Nearly spineless except on or near the edge.  1-4 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point outward, brown fading to yellow, 1/2"-2" long but generally long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: 3" tall, narrow, and turns red later than **zc 6**

Prickly Pear **zc 8** Opuntia sp.

possibly **zc 6**, or hybrid with it or **zc 7**

No flower photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size:  Large, semi-erect, about 5 feet tall and spreads out 10 feet or more.

Joints: Blue-green, teardrop shape, about 8" wide.

Areoles: Slightly raised

Glochids: Short, golden-brown, and longest are on the joint's edges, very short on the face areoles.

Spines: Round.  Spineless except a few on the joint's edge.  1-4 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point outward, brown fading to yellow, 1/2"-2" long but generally long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: 3" tall, narrow with vertical ribs, and turns purple later than **zc 6**

Prickly Pear **zc 9** Opuntia sp.

No flower or fruit photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size:  Large, semi-erect, about 5 feet tall and spreads out 10 feet or more.

Joints: Blue-green, teardrop shape, about 8" wide.  A few joints have a pointed apex but not as sharp as **zc 7**.  Lower joints have a gusset (triangular base with a thick rib up one face).

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: Short, golden, and longest are on the joint's edges, very short on the face areoles.

Spines: Round.  Nearly spineless, mostly on the joint's edge, a few on the faces.  1-4 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point outward, golden, 1/2"-1" long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: ?

Prickly Pear **zc 10** Opuntia sp.

No flower or fruit photos.

Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, October 2005

(Native?)

Plant size: Semi-erect, 3 feet tall and spreads out 8 feet or more.

Joints: Dark green, not quite round, about 10" wide.

Areoles: Flat

Glochids: Short, reddish-brown, longest are on the joint's edges, very short on the face areoles.

Spines: Round; 1-4 spines come out of the lower part of the areole and point downward, brownish gray, 1/2"-2" long.

Flower: ?

Fruit: ?

Cactaceae - Cactus family

Eastern Prickly Pear (Devil's Tongue) Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa (O. compressa, O. opuntia, O. rafinesquei)

Photos taken in Van Zandt County, Texas, November 2006

(Native of east Texas - Edwards Plateau, East and South Texas)

Plant size: generally prostrate, only 1-2 pads tall

Joints: Dark shiny green, wrinkled when stressed, not quite round, 2"-6" wide.

Areoles: 4-6 in a diaganal row, not raised to somewhat sunken, tan to brown.

Glochids: dense crescent of adaxial edge of areole, yellow to red-brown, up to 3/16" long.

Spines: often absent or 1-2 per areole, spreading, whitish to brownish, straight, 1"-2 3/8" long

Flower: pale to bright yellow, loose and curved.  They can grow from the edge or from any aereol. (no photo)

Fruit: greenish turning brownish red late, 1" long, pulp is green and sour (ideal conditions turning red and sweet), a few areoles. (no photo)

Note: Cold hardy

Hunting Similar Species

Edwards' Prickly Pear Opuntia edwardsii

(Edwards Plateau and Panhandle of Texas)

Texas Prickly Pear (Nopal Prickly Pear) Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (O. lindheimeri var. lindheimeri)

Large sprawling to simi-erect shrub with a central trunk, 3-11 feet high.  Green joints (pads) are edible.  Spines can be cream to yellow occasionally brown to black.  1-6 spines per areole, usually on all but lower areoles, 1/2" to 2" long.  Some plants are spineless.  Edible fruit ripen to purple/red.  Flowers yellow, turning orange/red with age, bloom May -June.

(Edwards Plateau, East  Coast, and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Twist-spine Prickly Pear (Grassland Prickly Pear, Plains Pricklypear) Opuntia macrorhiza var. macrorhiza (O. compressa var. grandiflora, var. macrorhiza, var. stenochila; O. grandiflora, O. leptocarpa, O. mackensenii, O. plumbea, O. tortispina)

Prostrate/spreading/erect shrub; spiny; forms mats to 5' wide; stems joints very flat and difficult to detach.  Yellow 7 to 3" wide; sometimes with red center.  Red-purple fleshy; wingless; juicy; spines usually several together

(all of Texas and much of  USA)

Desert Prickly Pear (Mojave Prickly Pear) Opuntia phaeacantha

Large sprawling to simi-erect shrub without a central trunk, 1-3 feet high.  Larger joints bluish green with some purple pigmentation after cold weather.  Spines usually dark brown, 1 1/2"-2 3/4" long, point downward, arch, and are flattened.  Yellow flower with reddish base.  Edible fruits are purplish.

Tulip Prickly Pear  Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica (O. camanchica)

Low growing, forming clumps or rosettes.  Covered in long spines.  Upper parts of joint 5-8 spines per areole, lower parts of joint 1-4 per areole.  Yellow flower.  Red fruit.  Prefers sand.  Cold hardy.

(Cross Timbers and Panhandle of Texas)

Desert Prickly Pear Opuntia phaeacantha var. discata (O. engelmannii var. engelmannii)

Spines are light colored with a red brown tip, 3 per areole pointing down.

A large prickly pear common throughout the southwest. A large handsome plant that typifies most people's idea of a prickly pear. Standing tall on hillsides and slopes this plant forms dramatic scenes in the Sonoran desert.

The large fruit of this cacti is edible, boiling down into a sweet, tasty syrup that can be used to make candy or jellies with a unique flavor. While many prickly pears bear edible fruit, the Desert Prickly Pear is known for it's large quantity of large succulent fruit.

O. phaeacantha var. discata is closely related to O. phaeacantha var. major. While major occurs across a very wide range, discata has a much smaller range, entirely overlapped by var. major. The two varieties readily hybridize and mixed colonies are common. O. phaeacanth var. discata seldom (if ever) occurs without var. major.

(Edwards Plateau, Panhandle and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Plant: A large upright plant up to 2m (6ft) tall amd 3m (10ft) in diameter without a definite trunk. Stems orbiculate to elliptic, 20 to 30cm (8 to 12in) long and 17 to 22cm (7 to 9in) in diameter, 1.5cm (5/8in) thick.

Spines: Spines in all areoloes except near the base of the stem, 2.5 to 5cm (1 to 2in) long, light with red or brown tips. One to three per areole, pointing downwards, areoles filled with brown glochids.

Flowers: Yellow to yellow orange flowers appear in April, open for only one day, 6 to 8cm (2-1/2 to 3-1/4in) in diameter.

Fruit: Large red fruit, juicy, 2.5 to 8.5cm (2-1/4 to 3-1/2in) long, areoles with minute glochids. Seeds 4mm in diameter, tan and irregular.

Range: Arizona, New Mexico, southeastern California, west Texas and southwestern Utah, 300 to 1250m (1000 to 4000ft) elevation

Major Prickly Pear (Brown-spine Prickly Pear) Opuntia phaeacantha var. major (O. acanthocarpa var. major, O. echinocarpa var. major)

Large ascending and spreading shrub without a central trunk, over 3 feet high.  Larger joints bluish green with some purple pigmentation after cold weather.  Spines usually dark brown, 1 1/2"-2 3/4" long.  Arching, flattened spines are only in upper parts of joint,1-3 per areole point downward.  Yellow flower with reddish base.  Edible fruits are purplish.

(western half of Texas)

Brownspine Prickly Pear Opuntia phaeacantha var. phaeacantha (O. dulcis, O. phaeacantha var. nigricans)

(Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Plains Prickly Pear (Hairspine Pricklypear) O. polyacantha var. polyacantha

Areoles close together.  Many spines.

(Edwards Plateau and Panhandle of Texas)

 Hairspine Prickly Pear  Opuntia polyacantha var. trichophora (O. missouriensis var. trichophora, O. trichophora)

(Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Marblefruit Prickly Pear Opuntia stricta var. strigil; (Cactus strictus, O. bentonii, O. macrantha, O. magnifica)

Upright plant.  Elongated joints with very few areoles.  Short or not spines.  Yellow flower.  Red purple fruit.  This plant has been introduced into Australia and become a pest.

(Edwards Plateau, eastern Panhandle, and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Similar Species - Long Joints

Cow’s Tongue Prickly Pear Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis

Dense upright plant to 10 feet tall.  Pads are very elongated and pointed.  Yellow flowers.

(Edwards Plateau of Texas)

Cow’s Tongue Opuntia lindheimeri var. linguiformis

Pads are elongated and pointed but not as long as O. engelmannii var. linguiformis.  Commonly seen in cultivation, may be extinct as a native.

Species Outside My Area

Sand Prickly Pear Opuntia arenaria

(Trans Pecos Texas)

Rio Grand Prickly Pear Opuntia aureispina (O. macrocentra var. aureispina)

(Trans Pecos Texas)

Border Prickly Pear (Dark-spined Prickly Pear) Opuntia atrispina

Border Pricklypear grows at high elevations in limestone soils of the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains. It occurs only in a small strip of about 20 miles from the Anaconcho Mountains in the southwest corner of Uvalde county, through the mountains of the Devil's and Pecos rivers, to near Dryden, Texas. It is a low and spreading cactus about 2 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The round to egg-shaped joints are 4 to 7 inches long and 3 1/2 to 6 inches wide. The spines are are black to reddish brown at the base and tend to shade to yellow at the tips. The deep chrome yellow flower is approximately 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and fades into a flesh or apricot color with age. The fruit, when ripe, is reddish-purple and 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. Border Pricklypear blooms in the spring.

(Edwards Plateau and west Texas)

Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Calico Cactus) Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii (O. subarmata)

Upright plant to 12 feet tall.  Lots of spines.  Yellow, pink, and magenta flowers.

(Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Indian Fig (Nopal de Castilla) Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactus ficus-indica, O. compressa, O. vulgaris)

Massive woody central trunk.  Plant grows to 15 feet tall.  Edible joints oblong,10"-20"long.  Few spines, few glochids.  Flowers are Yellow to orange.  Edible fruit 3 1/2" long, purple.  Not winter hardy.

(Edwards Plateau of Texas)

Devils Tongue Prickly Pear Opuntia humifusa var. austrina (O. austina, O. cumulicola, O. eburnispina, O. pollardii)

Small sprawling plant.  Joints wrinkle and turn purple in cold weather.  Single long spines from top areoles only.  Flower yellow with orange base.  Fruit is wrinkled.

(South Coast of Texas)

? Common Name Opuntia imbricata var. argentea

(Trans Pecos Texas)

Purple Prickly Pear (Longspine Prickly Pear, Black-spine Prickly Pear) Opuntia macrocentra

Upright plant to about 3 feet tall.  Joints are blue/gray and tinged purple.  Round, long, black, single spines from top most areoles only.  Yellow flowers with red centers.  Edible fruit.  Hardy to 10°F.

(Edwards Plateau, Trans Pecos, and South Texas)

Mexicanrose Prickly Pear Opuntia macrorhiza var. pottsii  (O. ballii, O. phaeacantha var. tenuispina, O. potsii, O. tenuiflora, O. tenuispina)

Plains prickly pear is a diminutive, nearly prostrate Opuntia residing on loam or rocky, sandy places at an elevation of 2000 to 9000 feet, ranging from the Texas panhandle and west of the Pecos River to Arizona and New Mexico. It is easily distinguished from other varieties of O. macrorhiza by its red flowers (as opposed to yellow), 5- to 6-cm.-long joints which are noticeably glaucous (bluish), and very slender spines. This variety is thought by some experts to deserve specific (species) status.

(Edwards Plateau, Panhandle, and Trans Pecos of Texas)

? Common Name Opuntia polyacantha var. rufispina (O. rutila)

(Trans Pecos of Texas)

Cock-spur Prickly Pear Opuntia pusilla (Cactus pusillus, O. drummondii, O.tracyi )

(Far south coast of Texas)

Blind Prickly Pear (Cow Blinder) Opuntia rufida

Gary joints.  Very large, fuzzy areoles.  Short or no spines.  Orange flowers.

(south Edwards Plateau and Trans Pecos of Texas)

Santa Rita Prickly Pear Opuntia santa-rita (O. chlorotica var. santa-rita, O.violacea var. santa-rita)

(Trans Pecos of Texas)

? Common Name Opuntia spinosibacca (O. phaeacantha var. spinosibacca)

(Trans Pecos of Texas)

Erect Prickly Pear Opuntia stricta var. dillenii  (Cactus dillenii, O. atrocapensis, O. dillenii, O. nitens, O. tunoidea, O. zebrina)

(South Coast of Texas)

Email    wildflowers"at"catnapin.com

to reduce spam, change "at" to @

please be specific