Seasonality: evergreen
Size: 2-3ft, spread 4-5ft
Leaves: pads, 3-6in long, new growth is red but matures to an attractive dark green; new pads emerge in paired habit said to look like the ears of rabbits; pads have many closely spaced aeroles with no spines but numerous prominent glochids; glochid color varies with varieties; new pads have small modified leaf structure that fades as pad matures
Flowers: creamy yellow, on terminal edge of pads, 1.5-2in in diameter bloom in early summer
Fruit: globe shaped, 1-2in long, purple or red
Stems/Trunks: does not form trunk
Range/Origin: Mexico
Hardiness: to mid teens
LANDSCAPE VALUE:
- accent plant
- informal barriers
- more refined texture, smoother, and more delicate in appearance than other prickly pears
- Exposure: full sun
- Water: natural rainfall; infrequent irrigations if any; some supplemental water during summer
- Soil: adaptable, good drainage
- Propagation: vegetatively (pads); best results if allowed to callous first
- Maintenance: low
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Opuntia microdasys probably var. 'Rufidula' |
aka Yellow bunny ears
pads are darker green than most other prickly pears
glochids are loosely attached, and may become airborne irritants
variety "Albaspina" has white glochids
"Rufidula" glochids are more red, rusty colored
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This page was first created July 6, 2001 and last modified March 14, 2006.
Web page design and photographs by Toni Moore, Master Gardener © 2001 - 2006 Arizona Board of Regents. All contents copyrighted. All rights reserved.
email to:tmoore1@flash.net