Opuntiads of the USA

HOME

Opuntia atrispina Griffiths

Opuntia atrispina is an early flowering species of Texas and perhaps adjacent Mexico. The distribution of the species is limited distribution in the USA, extending from just west of Uvalde, TX to near Langtry, TX. Thus, the species approximates part of the path of US Highway 90. The Flora of North America provides an online map.

Buds are evident in cultivated O. atrispina flowers as early as mid-March in Conroe, TX (north of Houston, TX), and plants in full flower have been observed in very early April in the vicinity of Del Rio, TX. The flowers are distinctive because they open yellow and change to salmon, pink, pink-yellow, or even tan-pink; thus, plants can be adorned with flowers of two colors.

Technical Description

Shrubs or near shrubs: plants can be 2 to 4-feet across and (1)2-3(4) ft-tall, often open and typically sprawling but can be upright-like.

Cladodes: cladodes are 6-12 cm x 9-17 cm, circular or obovate, not thick, areoles tan or dark brown.

Glochids: (2)4-5 mm, tan or yellow, dark with time.

Spines: 4-6(7), dark brown, black, or dark red-brown at base, with yellow tips (or honey-colored tips), yellow color may extend nearly halfway down the spine, distinctive

Flowers: inner tepals opening clear yellow or gold-yellow, pale yellow or with hints of orange or red, outer tepals opening yellow or with hints of pink or copper, all tepals darkening to pink or salmon (or tan-pink or pink-yellow) by evening or the next morning, anthers yellow or yellow-white (sometimes white on day 2), style white or cream, stigma off-white or greenish-white or yellowish-white to pale yellow.

Fruits: spineless, fleshy, obovoid or nearly spherical, smallish, 10-13 mm x 17(20) mm.

Seeds : circular or nearly so, mostly 3-4 mm diameter, rim not prominent.

Opuntia atrispina Griffiths 1910

Click on thumnails for larger images.

Opuntia atrispina pad, close-up, west of Uvalde, TX, April, 2005.

Opuntia atrispina flowers, close-up.

O. atrispina flowers early in the vicinity of Del Rio, TX and is probably most areas where it is grown as a garden plant. The flowers are distinctive because they open yellow and change to salmon; thus, shrubs can be adorned with flowers of two colors. The stigma is cream-colored but may acquire a pink-white tint with time. The anthers are typically white or cream-colored, but sometimes with a hint of green..

One differential feature of O. atrispina concerns spine color. Typically the spines are two-toned, yellow or honey-colored at the tips and black (or dark brown) at the base. The feature, when clearly seen, is distinctive.

Plants are not tall, but can be impressive as they spread 3-4 ft-across and 1-2 ft-tall (but can be taller). They are especially attractive when in full bloom, dominating an area because little else blooms so early. Pads are often round, or nearly so, or obovate.

Opuntia atrispina in full flower, early April 2005, Del Rio, TX.