Category / Opuntia

A popular cultivated ornamental, Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Eve’s Needle Cactus) can be a succulent, spiny, robust shrub or a small tree with an erect trunk and elongated branches. It can reach a staggering…

A spectacular cactus of the Southwestern United States, Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Teddybear Cholla) is a slow-growing, small, erect tree-like cactus with a distinct trunk topped with stubby branches densely covered with silvery-white spines,…

A spectacular cactus of the Southwestern United States, Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (Silver Cholla) can be a low, densely branched bush to a large, tree-like cactus with a short, thick trunk. It is usually…

A spectacular cactus of the Southwestern United States, Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla) can be a low, densely branched shrub to a large, tree-like cactus with a strong central trunk. The stout, rope-like,…

Frost hardy, Opuntia ‘Baby Rita’ (Prickly Pear) is a dwarf succulent shrub with colorful, round, ovate, fleshy pads. Covered with spines, the pads turn rich purple in winter before changing back to…

A low-spreading cactus species, Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail Cactus) is a bushy succulent shrub with gray-blue, wide and flat, fleshy pads resembling beaver tails. During arid conditions, the pads take on an attractive…

Opuntia elatior (Red-Flower Prickly Pear) is a big succulent shrub, eventually becoming tree-like, with a well-defined primary trunk and a profusion of flat, oblong, olive green pads, up to 16 in. long…

Opuntia engelmannii (Engelmann Prickly Pear) is a bushy succulent shrub with light green or bluish green, egg-shaped, fleshy pads, up to 12 in. across (30 cm). It forms sizeable clusters and grows…

Fast-growing, Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly Pear) is a big succulent shrub, eventually becoming tree-like, with a thick, woody central trunk and a profusion of flat, oblong, bluish-green pads, up to 2 ft. across…

Widely found in the eastern United States, Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear) is a clump-forming succulent shrub with round-to-oval, fleshy, purple-tinged, green pads, up to 10 in. across (25 cm). In summer,…

Striking in any setting, Opuntia macrocentra (Black-Spine Prickly Pear) is a bushy succulent shrub with colorful, round, ovate, fleshy pads. Covered with long dark spines, generally at the top of the pads,…

A most attractive cactus, Opuntia microdasys (Bunny Ears) is a bushy, perennial cactus with oval to round, flattened, small pads, up to 6 in. across (15 cm). Red when new, the pads…

Opuntia robusta (Silver Dollar Prickly Pear) is a large, often erect, succulent shrub or small tree with huge, silvery-blue, round, fleshy pads, up to 20 in. wide (50 cm). Thick and heavy,…

A very attractive species, Opuntia santa-rita (Santa Rita Prickly Pear) is an upright, bushy succulent shrub with colorful, round, ovate, fleshy pads. Covered with spines, the pads turn rich purple in winter…

Grown for its intriguing color, Opuntia santa-rita Tubac™ (Santa Rita Prickly Pear) is an upright, shrubby succulent with large round fleshy pads. Covered with spines, the pads turn rich purple in winter…