Long spined prickly pear

Description

Opuntia macrocentra, the long-spined purplish prickly pear or purple pricklypear, is a cactus found in the lower Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. A member of the prickly pear genus, this species of Opuntia is most notable as one of a few cacti that produce a purple pigmentation in the stem. Other common names for this plant include black-spined pricklypear, long-spine prickly pear, purple pricklypear, and redeye prickly pear. Opuntia macrocentra is an upright spreading shrub consisting of several joined segments called pads. This cactus produces large colorful yellow and red blooms and dark red edible fruits. Native populations of Opuntia macrocentra are found in Arizona, New Mexico, Southwestern Texas, and Northwestern Mexico. This cacti is a slow growing perennial that inhabits a wide range of soil substrates and habitat types. It can be found below the elevation of 5000 ft in areas of sandy desert flats, rocky hills, or valley grasslands. Because of its striking stem and bloom color the Opuntia macrocentra cactus is cultivated as an ornamental plant for drought tolerant and native plant gardens, and as a potted plant. Like many other cacti in the Opuntia genus, the fruit produced by Opuntia macrocentra is edible. Collection of this cactus, and its fruit, is restricted in some areas for conservation needs.