Engelmann’s Prickly Pear (Opuntia Engelmannii)
Northern Mexico, Arizona, and Texas
Next in our journey across the land of the burning sun we find Engelmann’s Prickly Pear here in Northern Mexico—a very fine, large Opuntia which grows also in Texas and Arizona. This cactus like several others has been named in honor of Dr. George Engelmann, an early outstanding student of cacti. The plant is a rather large shrub six to twelve feet across and three to five feet tall, with many divergent and ascending branches from the base, these often rooting and forming an impenetrable growth. Its large bluish green joints contrast vividly in the spring with the huge golden or lemon-yellow flowers which appear in great numbers in April and May; while again in July there is another marked contrast to the deep purple or maroon-purple fruit, which is pear-shaped and often three inches long. As many as sixteen fruit are borne on a single joint or pad of the Prickly Pear. These the Mexicans and Indians eat when ripe, and the natives make a most palatable syrup from the jams or conserves.
Long Spined Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrocentra)
Northern Mexico, Central Arizona, and Western Texas
The Opuntia macrocentra grows in sandy soil or clay loam at levels of three to five thousand feet. The plants are no more than three feet tall and are called macrocentra in allusion to the long spines, over three inches in length. The large showy blossoms are about three inches long with light yellow petals and bright red or orange-red centers. This flower also opens and closes in the daytime and lasts for one day only. The olive-green joints of the plants, which are suffused with purple or sometimes purple throughout, the dark purple-brown spines, and the yellow bloom create an uncommon sight here on the open desert out over the mesas and bajadas in Northern Mexico.
Beaver Tail (Opuntia basilaris)
Southeastern California, Western Arizona, Northern Sonora, Southern Nevada, and Southern Utah
BEAVER TAIL (Opuntia basilaris)