Opuntiads of the USA

Opuntia phaeacantha Engelm 1849

Opuntia phaeacantha is a variable species, but not so variable as to justify all the confusion that surrounds it. The species has been categorized in several different ways over time, and some names that have been applied to O. phaeacantha include Opuntia angustata, Opuntia arizonica, Opuntia camanchica, Opuntia canada, Opuntia charlestonensis, Opuntia dulcis, Opuntia gilvescens, Opuntia mojavensis, Opuntia discata, Opuntia platyacantha, and Opuntia woodsii.

In addition to the many specific epithets, many subspecific varities of O. phaeacantha have been described including: var. brunnea, var. major, var. mojavensis, var. nigricans, var. phaeacantha, var. superbospina, and var. nigricans; these names are employed by the authors of this Web site. Many of these names and synonyms were gleaned from the USDA plant profile for O. phaeacantha and the Opuntia names listed at the Cactusbase (authored by Zvone Rovsek). Read the original description of O. phaeacantha here.

Opuntia phaecantha, Wickenburg, AZ, June 2009

Opuntia phaecantha, Wickenburg, AZ, June 2009 (plants may be over 6-ft-across)

Opuntia phaeacantha, Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM, May 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM, May 2006, drought year

Opuntia phaeacantha (left) with unusual pink-flowered O. tortispina (right), Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM, May 2006, drought year

Opuntia phaecantha, Kingman, AZ, June 2007, drought year, plant sun bleached

Close-up of plant at left

Opuntia phaecantha, unknown location

Opuntia phaeacantha, abandoned pasture, near Ojo Caliente, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha-like, unknown provenance, garden grown, in bud April 13, 2006, Conroe, TX

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM, river bottom, March 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, west of Carrizozo, NM, near Valley of Fires National Recreation Site

Opuntia phaeacantha, west of Carrizozo, NM, near Valley of Fires, along Hwy. 380

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM, river bottom

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM, undeveloped lot on Coors Rd.

Opuntia tortispina, Albuquerque, NM, undeveloped lot on Coors Rd., growing with O. phaeacantha, O. cymochila, O. camanchia, and O. polyacantha. O tortispina can be confused with O. phaecantha.

Opuntia phaeacantha, photo by Dave Ferguson, near Mule Creek, NM, near border with Arizona.

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM, March, 2006 (plants may be 2-ft-across)

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM.

Mixed Opuntia species (including O. phaeacantha) in grassland, Albuquerque, NM, undeveloped lot on Coors Rd.

Opuntia sandiana, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM, March, growing with O. phaeacantha but at lower elevations, 2006.

Opuntia sandiana, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM

Opuntia dulcis, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM (plants may appear dwarfed)

Opuntia dulcis, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM, March 2006

Opuntia engelmannii, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque

Opuntia dulcis-like (not O. phaeacantha), Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, low plants can be confused with O. phaeacantha

Opuntia phaeacantha in snow, Cibola National Forest, near Albuquerque, NM, March, 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albuquerque, NM, river bottom

Opuntia phaeacantha, east of Albuquerque in mountains, small pads, ca. 6,500 ft. elevation

Opuntia phaeacantha, Albquerque, NM, river bottom, lavender winter color

Opuntia phaeacantha, Hwy. 68, a few miles north of Alcalde (near Velarde), NM, west of Hwy. 68 on unimproved road. red winter color, March 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, Hwy. 68, a few miles north of Alcalde (near Velarde), NM, west of Hwy. 68 on unimproved road. red winter color

Opuntia phaeacantha, near Alcalde (near Velarde) NM, still red from winter, March 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, north of Alcalde (near Velarde), NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, north of Alcalde (near Velarde) NM, March 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, north of Alcalde NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, near Ojo Caliente, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, cow pasture just south of Ojo Caliente, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, a few miles south of Taos, NM on Hwy. 68, NM, approximately 7,500 ft. elevation

Opuntia phaeacantha, Cuba, NM, March 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha (bottom of photo, foreground) growing with juniper, Cuba, NM

Opuntia tortispina, vacant lot, Santa Fe, NM, can be confused with O. phaeacantha

Opuntia curvoclada, vactant lot, Santa Fe, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, 10-20 miles west of Conchas, NM, May 2006

Opuntia cymochila, Albuquerque, NM, Atrisco St. at La Bajada, can be confulsed with O. phaeacantha

Opuntia phaeacantha, Hwy. 68, near Velarde, NM, 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, Placitas NM

Opuntia species, not O.phaeacantha, plant is growing in shade making identification at a distance difficult out of flower or fruit, such plant could be O. valencia, O. gilvescnes, or O. dulcis, etc. Placitas, NM

Opuntia phaecantha, near Aguirre Spring Campground, Organ Mountains, NM

Opuntia phaeacantha, Placitas, NM, May 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha, Placitas, NM

Opuntia tortispina (resembles O. phaeacantha in some ways), Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM, May 2006, drought year

Opuntia tortispina (resembles O. phaeacantha in some ways), Coors Rd., Albuquerque, NM, May 2006

Opuntia phaeacantha (right) with O. tortispina (left). The plant on the left has some simiarities with O. cymochila (e.g., many spines) but the main spines are stout and the creases are typical of O. tortispina

Note: Opuntia tortispina plants in the row immediately above resemble O. phaeacantha in some ways. However, these O. tortispina plants grow alongside O. phaeacantha in same vacant lot, about 10 acres. All of the images in the second row above are O. phaeacantha from the same lot. Also, see pink-flowerd O. tortispina with O. phaeacantha from same population (three rows above).