Common Name(s): Bunny-Ears Prickly-Pear

Synonym(s):

Family: Cactaceae

Native To: Chihuahuan Desert of central and northern Mexico

Native Habitat: Low deserts

Growth Habit: Low shrub

Flowering: Late Spring

Distinguishing Characteristics: Prickly-pear cacti are distinguished by their unusual stems, segmented into pancake-shaped pads. There are several species of Prickly-pears in the Cactus Garden (some species have juicy edible fruits - but are still very unlike pears). The Bunny-ears cactus is distinctive with pads light-green in color and lacking noticeable spines. The pads do have light colored areoles (spine clusters) which are filled with tiny barbed spines called glochids. These easily stick in the skin and are irritating, making this cactus just as unpleasant as some of its spinier relatives. All Prickly-pear cacti possess some amount of glochids and should be approached with caution. The flowers are yellow, 2 inches wide, and are followed by dry fruits.

Natural History and Cultivation Notes: The name Opuntia is an early name for some kind of spiny plant associated with the Greek town of Opus, or the surrounding region. While cacti (which are of New World origin) would not have grown there naturally, Prickly-pears of this genus likely do now, as these have been introduced into many of the warmer drier parts of the world, often escaping and becoming pests.

Ethnobotany: Often used as an outdoor ornamental or houseplant, in spite of its irritating glochids. This species is not native to Arizona, but has escaped from cultivation in this state, and potentially could become a pest in the wild.

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