Small stems, elliptical to round, forming mats along the ground, often found in dry grasslands.
Cactus and Succulents
Opuntia humifusa
O. compressa
Low growing mats/clumps of small purple tinged pads, to 12″h. Has been used medicinally and as a dye. Can handle cold and snow, will flop over, laying flat on the ground. Small gold flowers, red fruit.
Opuntia lagunae
Shrubby prickly pear to 5′; large white spines with many yellow glochids
Opuntia leucotricha
Opuntia littoralis
Shrubby to 3ft. high. Can spread wide, sprawling as it goes. Variable flowers.
Opuntia littoralis v. vaseyi
Shrubby to 3ft. high. Can spread wide, sprawling as it goes. Variety with rose flowers.
Opuntia macrocentra
Black spines, 4-8″ long, purple pads, low spreading, populations vary.
Opuntia microdasys
Dotted with tiny white glochids, mounding, small pads. 1-2ft. high.
Opuntia microdasys “Alba”
Dotted with tiny white glochids, mounding, small pads. 1-2ft. high.
Opuntia microdasys “Aurea”
Dotted with tiny glochids, mounding small pads to 3ft.
Opuntia microdasys fa. monstrose “Golden Swirl”
Dotted with tiny yellow glochids, mounding small pads are curved.
Opuntia microdasys v. rufida
Dotted with minute orange glochids, shrubby to 2ft. Can handle some shade. Keep away from walkways or other places people might brush against it. Glochids release easily with touch or wind.
Opuntia monacantha
Opuntia monacantha “Variegata”
O. “Maverick”
Naturally occurring variegated monstrose cactus. Tree form to 6ft, small pads harden to solid trunk.
Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia pilifera
Opuntia polyacantha
Fast growing to 2’h, prominent aureoles with 4 to 5 spines 2 to 4″ long. Variable flowers, yellow, orange and pink. Many cultivars named for the natural flower color variations.
Opuntia polyacantha “Peach”
Fast growing to 2ft high, prominent aureoles with 4 to 5 spines 2 to 4″ long. Peach flowers.
Opuntia polyacantha v. erinacea
Fast growing to 2’h; pink and yellow blooms; 4″l. spines
Opuntia pusilla
Opuntia pycnantha
Shrubby to 18″ high x 18″ wide. Oblong pads are very spiny, brown spines with yellow glochids. Can spread wide, sprawling as it goes. Variable flowers, red, orange and yellow in spring.
Opuntia pyrrhantha
Opuntia quitensis
O. macbridei
Low shrub prickly pear from the low Andes, small red/orange blooms
Opuntia rhodantha “Grand Mesa Peach”
Sharp and spiny cactus, grows low, spreads wide, but topped with soft pink flowers in spring.
Opuntia robusta
Tall, fast growing blue prickly pear with large round spiny pads and round red fruit. Can grow tree-like to 10ft. tall.
Opuntia robusta “Silver Dollar”
Tall, fast growing blue prickly pear with large round low-spine pads. Can grow tree-like to 10ft tall. Edible fruit.
Opuntia santa-rita
Shrubby clumps, 3-4ft. high. Pads turn purple after winter cold temperatures, or in full sun. Variable spines – some have a few long spines, others are mostly glochids.
Opuntia santa-rita “Goldie Rita”
Small blue-grey pads, turning turquoise in winter. Jet-black spines. Golden flowers in spring. Moderately slow grower.
Opuntia santa-rita “Tubac”
Large round pads covered in glochids, blue-grey in summer turn purple in cold. Yellow flowers.
Opuntia stenopetala
Shrubby prickly pear to 5′; medium red spines with many orange glochids