Cactaceae

Opuntia stricta

Common Names: Erect pricky pear

Plant Form: Upright spreading succulent shrub. Size: 50 cm to 2 m tall. Stem: Dull bluish or greyish-green pads. Flattened. Egg-shaped. With bumps (areoles) which have 1-5 cm long spines and brownish, wooly bristles. Leaves: Reduced, scale-like, short lived. Flowers: Yellow 5-8 cm across, with greenish or pinkish markings on petals. Fruit and Seeds: Round to pear-shaped 4-5 cm long. Green ripenining to reddish-purple and with a whitish waxy covering when mature. Habitat: Grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, forests, dunes, roadsides, agricultural land. Distinguishing Features: Indian fig (Opuntia ficus-indica) grows taller and has larger pads, Velvet tree pear (O. tomentosa) is more hairy, and Smooth tree pear (O. monacantha) tends to have a more droopy appearance.