General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Dry
Fruit: Showy
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Orange
Yellow
Suitable Locations: Xeriscapic
Uses: Will Naturalize
Edible Parts: Fruit
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Needs specific temperature: 68-86 degrees
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Other info: Seeds may be extremely slow to germinate
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Layering
Other: Individual pads form new plants; they must dry and callous for 10 days before planting
Pollinators: Various insects
Containers: Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
With thorns/spines/prickles/teeth

Image
Common names
  • Mojave Prickly Pear
  • Tulip Prickly Pear
  • Brown-Spined Prickly Pear
  • Bastard Fig
  • Prickly Pear
  • Brownspine Prickly Pear Cactus
  • New Mexico Prickly Pear
  • Purple-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • New Mexican Prickly-Pear
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Opuntia phaeacantha
  • Synonym: Opuntia azurea
  • Synonym: Opuntia phaeacantha var. nigricans
  • Synonym: Opuntia chihuahuensis
  • Synonym: Opuntia laevis
  • Synonym: Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis

Photo Gallery
Location: Longwood Gardens, Kennet Square, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2019-10-04
Location: New York Botanical Gardens Bronx NY
Date: late April 2014
Location: South Jordan, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-11-15
Location: Botanical Garden of Latvia
Date: 2018-09-11
Location: Longwood Gardens, PA
Date: 2016-06-08
Location: Longwood Gardens, PA
Date: 2016-06-08
Location: Delle, Utah, United States
Date: 2016-06-26
Location: Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona
Date: 2019-03-21
Location: Botanical Garden of Münster
Date: 2017-09-19
Location: Canby, OR
Date: 2017-08-09
Location: Devils Garden, Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah, United States
Date: 2021-03-12
Location: Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona
Date: 2019-03-21
Labelled as Opuntia laevis.
Location: New York Botanical Gardens Bronx NY
Date: late April 2014
About to burst into full bloom.
Location: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Date: 2018-10-25
Location: Loki Schmidt Garten - Botanischer Garten der Universität Hamburg
Date: 2022-09-13
Location: Missouri Botanical Gardens
Date: 2023-09-10
Location: Kane County, Utah, United States
Date: 2016-11-24
Location: Botanical Garden of the University of Münster
Date: 2017-09-19
Location: Botanical Garden of the University of Münster
Location: New York Botanical Gardens Bronx NY
Date: April 2014

credit: Feloidea
Location: Botanical Garden of Barcelona
Date: 2013-10-27
Location: Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis
Date: 2018-03-31

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