Opuntia lindheimeri Engelm.

Texas Prickly Pear

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Texas Prickly Pear is an introduced large, shrubby, succulent perennial in the Cactus family (Cactaceae). It is native to Louisiana, New Mexico, Mexico, and Texas. It is cultivated in Alabama and persists or escapes. Texas Prickly Pear occurs on dunes, in pastures, along fence rows, around old home sites, and in waste areas. It is an erect perennial with flattened leaf-like stems (cladophylls). The stems are green or reddish purple in color, ovate to elliptic in outline, glabrous and often glaucous. Areoles (circular areas with spines or hairs) occur in 5-8 rows on each cladophyll. There are 1-6 yellowish, slightly curved spines per areole. Glochidia (barbed hair-like spines or short prickles found on the areoles) are yellowish to reddish brown. Flowers are solitary or several per node. The outer tepals are greenish yellow and the inner tepals are lemon yellow. The fruit is a fleshy many-seeded purple berry. Within its native range the fruit are gathered and eaten by locals. Texas Prickly Pear is sometimes available from nurseries. Each stem segment will root if placed in contact with the soil.--A. Diamond

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Not Native

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