| Common Name |
Prickly Pear Cactus, Cactus Apple, Englemann's Prickly
Pear |
| Latin Name |
Opuntia engelmannii |
| Native Habitat |
Southwestern desert and dry slopes from 1,000 to 5,000
feet |
| Soil |
Dry, decomposed granite, sand, clay loam low in organic
content, well drained |
| Water |
None to once per month |
| Height X Width |
Maximum 6 X 6 feet, usual 3 X 3 feet |
| Protective Mechanism |
Spines |
| Leaves |
Evergreen, light green |
| Garden Suitability |
Songbird, Ethnobotanical |
| Ornamental Value |
Yellow to red flowers April-May, purple fruit |
| Nature Value |
Flowers used by bees, fruits eaten by birds and mammals,
cover for nesting |
| Native American Uses |
Fruits and pads eaten |
| Links |
|
| Images, and
data |
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/mbierner/bio406d/images/pics/cac/opuntia_engelmannii.htm |
| Images and data |
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/yellows/yellow24.html |
| Images and data |
http://cals.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Opuntia_engelmannii.html |
| Images and data |
http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Opuntia+engelmannii+var.+engelmannii |
| Distribution map |
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OPENE |
