Opuntia leucotricha, which is native to central Mexico, can grow to a height of 12 feet or so. It has yellow flowers about 2 inches across in spring, and an abundance of small, pale yellow fruit ...

With hundreds of Opuntia species, there’s a great deal of variation. Many lack big sharp spines, but they retain their microprotection, so don’t assume spineless is safe.

The "devil's cactus": An invasive cactus called Opuntia, or prickly pear, is tearing through the wildlife-rich grasslands and ranges of Laikipia County in Kenya.

Facts about cactus.Summer is a good time to reflect on one of our common West Texas native plants, the prickly pear cactus. The name cactus is derived from the Greek word kaktos, which means ...

The crux of the matter though, is that every single bit — apart from the defensive spines of course — is 100 per cent edible, is reasonably nutritious and can be served up in an amazing ...

Generally, cactus spines make an obvious hands-off statement, so there’s nothing sneaky about them. But members of the Opuntia genus are exceptional.

Prickly pear cactus are all genus Opuntia, along with their cousins, the cigar-shaped cholla. Many are native to the American West, with many more ubiquitous throughout the warmer New World regions.

Glochids must be removed before eating. Pads are often peeled. A good cultivar that’s easy to place in gardens is the purple-padded, cold-hardy Opuntia violacea (1.5 feet tall) from Cactus Jungle.

Opuntia, the prickly pear cactus, originated in South America, moved into the valleys of the Andes and then north into Mexico and North America. In Southern California, opuntia grows in the ...

The invasive cactus borer Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) now cooccurs with a species of borer native to North America, Melitara prodenialis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in ...