Synonyms
Opuntia phaeacantha var. discata
Other common names
Tuna
nopal
purple fruit prickly pear
prickly pear cactus
Plant type
Cacti
Scientific Family
Cactaceae
Plant Description
Origin
Native
A wide, spreading cactus to 15 feet in diameter. Has circular to oblong pads (stems) up to 10 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Color is
green to blue-green. The pads are connected to each other by brittle joints.
Pads 4 to 10 inches in diameter, plants are several pads tall in height, three visible central spines common per areole, spines and patches of sparse glochids often in areoles all over the pad, consistently golden-yellow, never bi-colored flower petals.
Similar species
O. phaeacantha, O. macrocentra
Height
4 to 6 feet
Width
10 to 15 feet
Habitat
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Low elevation
1500
High elevation
7500
Flowers
Flower color
Yellow
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
June
Yellow, orange or red to 3-1/4 inches wide. Blooms appear on edge of flat pads.
Stems
Stem Color
Dull yellowish green or bluish green
Segmented Stems
No
Stems are segmented into pads, each pad 6 to 16 inches long and 4 to 16 inches wide, oblong, circular in shape, with short spine.
Pads are firmly attached.
Areoles
These are structures unique to cacti, found on the stems, areas from which spines, flowers and fruits emerge.
Spine color
Ash grey to white
Spines hooked
No
Glochids
No
The spines (leaves) grow to 3 inches long, either flattened, curved, or straight. The areas where spines develop have brown or
yellowish barbed bristles.
Fruit
Fruit color
Red
The red to purplish, pear-shaped fruit to 3 inches long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter grows along the edge of the pads and is very
attractive, edible, nutritious and juicy.