Cactaceae

Cylindropuntia pallida

Common Names: Hudson pear

Plant Form: Upright succulent shrub. Size: Up to 1.5 m tall and 3 m wide. Stem: Cylindrical, with small depressions that have clusters of 4-8 extremely sharp spines about 4.5 cm in length. Flowers: Pink or purplish, 5 cm across with golden anthers in the centre. Fruit and Seeds: Oval-shaped up to 4.5 cm long, turning yellow when ripe. Does not form chains. Habitat: Rangelands, woodlands, floodplains, rocky outcrops, shrublands. Distinguishing Features: Closely resembles Cylindropuntia tunicata (also known as Hudson Pear) and may be a hybrid of it, but has pinkish rather than yellowish flowers.