California

Opuntias primarily from California. Few of these are expected to be cold hardy.

Opuntia covillei

Opuntia covillei, Coville Shrub Pricklypear

Britton and Rose, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 50: 532, 1908 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Photograph (Britton and Rose, 1919); Painting; Drawing (JJ Thornber; The Fantastic Clan of the Cactus Family) Original Description What is O. covillei? Opuntia covillei is a medium-sized, California pricklypear cactus that grows in angular shapes to 1 m across. The species is often […]

Opuntia covillei, Coville Shrub Pricklypear Read More »

O. oricola - Camarillo 5-1-11 (18)

Opuntia oricola, Pacific Pancake Pricklypear

Philbrick, Cactus and Succulent Journal (U.S.) 36(6): 163, 1964 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium Original Description What is Opuntia oricola? Opuntia oricola is a medium-sized, easy-to-recognize pricklypear cactus found in coastal California.  Details O. oricola pads are 15 to 26 cm long and 12 to 19 cm

Opuntia oricola, Pacific Pancake Pricklypear Read More »

Opuntia littoralis

Opuntia littoralis, Coastal Pricklypear

(Engelmann) Britton & Rose, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 50: 529, 1908 Lectotype; Syntype; Lectotype; Lectotype; Lectotype; Lectotype Original Citation What is Opuntia littoralis? Opuntia littoralis is a California pricklypear cactus originally described as a possible variety of O. engelmannii, but the two species are not closely related. O. littoralis is hexaploid.  Details O. littoralis plants may

Opuntia littoralis, Coastal Pricklypear Read More »

Opuntia semispinosa

Opuntia semispinosa, Partly-spined Pricklypear

Griffiths, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 43(2): 89, 1916 Holotype Original Citation What is Opuntia semispinosa? Opuntia semispinosa is a coastal pricklypear cactus from southern California and Mexico that has been variously lumped into O. occidentalisO. littoralis, or even other Opuntias of Southern California. We accept it as a stand-alone species. Details Plants may reach 1 or 1.4

Opuntia semispinosa, Partly-spined Pricklypear Read More »

Opuntia vaseyi

Opuntia vaseyi, Apricot Pricklypear

  Coulter, Contributions from the U. S. National Herbarium 3: 432, 1892-1896 Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium (holotype, deposited as O. magenta); Lectotype (O. mesacantha vaseyi); Herbarium; Herbarium; Herbarium; Holotype (O. intricata); Isotype (O. intricata);  Original Description (as O. mesacantha vaseyi) What is Opuntia vaseyi? Opuntia vaseyi is a low, spreading, bushy pricklypear cactus found “along

Opuntia vaseyi, Apricot Pricklypear Read More »

Opuntia rugosa, San Dimas Pricklypear

Griffiths, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 27(6): 27, 1914  Holotype; Isotype; Painting Original Description What is Opuntia rugosa? Opuntia rugosa is an uncommonly found pricklypear cactus that was reported from the Pomona area of California in the early 1900s and apparently never studied again.  Details The biggest feature, that for which it is named, is that

Opuntia rugosa, San Dimas Pricklypear Read More »