Sprawling Prickly Pear Cactus.
Opuntia phaeacantha var. Major, Cactus Family ( Cactaceae ), Sprawling Prickly Pear Cactus. Also Called: Plateau Prickly Pear, Brown-Spined Prickly-Pear, Mojave Prickly Pear, Kingman Prickly Pear, Tulip Prickly Pear, Brownspine Pricklypear, Desert Prickly-Pear, New Mexico Prickly Pear, Purple-Fruited Prickly Pear, Nopal pardo & Opuntia gilvescens, Opuntia arizonica, Opuntia canada, Opuntia charlestonensis, Opuntia dulcis, Opuntia engelmannii var. cycloides, Opuntia mojavensis, Opuntia phaeacantha var. brunnea, Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica, Opuntia phaeacantha var. major, Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis, Opuntia phaeacantha var. nigricans, Opuntia phaeacantha var. phaeacantha, Opuntia phaeacantha var. superbospina, Opuntia superbospina, & Opuntia woodsii.

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Opuntia phaeacantha var. Major is found in the southwestern United States, the lower Great Plains, and northern Mexico. The plant forms dense but localized thickets. Several varieties of this particular species occur, and it also hybridizes easily with other prickly pears, making identification sometimes tricky.

This prickly-pear cactus forms dense thickets 8 ft. across and up to 8 ft. tall, though usually shorter. Common to abundant in abandoned pastures and old fields on stony soil. Forms low patches of flat joints, stem segments, or horizontal lines of 3 or more joints standing on edge, some tinged reddish purple in winter. Spines of 2 kinds: one kind 1/2 to 2 inches long and single, or 2 or 4 together, gray to brown or yellowish, sometimes pointing downward, and the other kind minute ones in dense oval clusters from which the long spines arise. Flowers showy, yellow, often with a red center, up to 3 inches wide, opening in April and May. Fruit fleshy, up to 2 1/4 inches long, purplish, flattened to concave at the apex, tapering to the base.

The Desert Prickly-pear is an erect or sprawling shrub with fleshy fruit and brown to black spines. This species has a very wide range, and up to ten or more varieties have been described, making exact identification confusing. Usually the varieties are distinguished by pad size, spine distribution on the pad, spine color and size, and fruit length. The Desert Prickly-pear has adapted to both the deserts of Texas and the cool moist forests of the Rocky Mountains. It blooms from April to June.

It's spines are brown, reddish-brown, or gray, and often over 3 cm in length.

It's flowers are usually bright yellow with reddish centers, and sometimes peach, pinkish or reddish overall.

The edible fruits are red or purple with green flesh.

Quick Notes:

Height: This plant can reach around 8 feet in height and 8 feet in width. Usually smaller.

Flowers: The flowers are usually bright yellow with reddish centers, and sometimes peach, pinkish or reddish overall. They are about 2 2/5 inches to 2 3/4 inches long. About 1-1/2-inches diameter; filaments white; style white, stigma greenish.

Fruit: A "Cactus apple." Fruit juicy, purplish exterior with green interior; 2 to 3-inches long. Spines absent, but glochids present in the 15�32 areoles. The flowers are solitary along the upper edge of the pads (set atop the developing fruit).

Seeds: Small, to about 6 mm.

Blooming Time: April to June.

Pads: flat and broad (pancake shaped), oval, up to about 8 inches wide and 12 inches long, forming clumps often over 10ft in diameter. They are Smooth, with spines. Usually 1 to 4 (often 2 or 3) spines per areole, usually confined to areoles on the on the upper 70% of the pad (usually no spines at the base of the pad). Longest spines (usually along the top of the pad) flattened, to about 3-inches long. Larger spines usually grayish with reddish-brown near the base (about 1/3 inch); smaller spines reflexed, grayish.

Spines: The stiff, spreading spines (sometimes two or three available) are white, straight or twisted, and 2 3/4 to 6 inches long. The areolas are large and prominent.

Trunk: None.

Found: USA: AZ , CA , CO , KS , NM , NV , OK , SD , TX , & UT. In the Big Bend region of Texas and in the states of Coahuila, Chihuahua, Durango, and Zacatecas in Mexico.

Elevation: 0 to 7,300 feet. In native areas.

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F)

Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun.

Habitat: The Desert Prickly-pear is native to a variety of habitats, including desert, mountain grasslands, and slopes. Common to abundant in abandoned pastures and old fields on stony soil. Sandy or rocky hills, flats, valleys & canyons.

Miscellaneous: Maintenance: Low. Pricklypear species hybridize, sometimes making identification difficult. This confusion is evidenced by the plethora of scientific names (see Other Names listed above) assigned to the various populations of this species.