# Cactus With Different Color Blooms



## Turtulas-Len (Jun 4, 2011)

I have some cactus that has two different color blooms on the same pad, has anyone ever seen this before? It may be common but I have never seen another plant or a pic of another plant with different color blooms before.There are a lot of cactus growers on TFO so I figured I ask here. The last pic is of a plant that looks like the two colors blend together on each bloom. Len


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## Yvonne G (Jun 4, 2011)

Gosh that's pretty. Never seen it before on a cactus.


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## N2TORTS (Jun 5, 2011)

Very Nice speciman ! ...... I belive its "Opuntia polycantha".
Although difficult to pin point without seeing it in person. There are 15 species of Prickly Pear Cacti..Below is a nice list for identifying the different species.

BEARDED PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia strigil

Desert: Chihuahuan Desert
Height: Up to 3 feet
Pads: Small, oblong, yellow-green with short, colored spines
Flowers: Cream-color
Fruit: Small, bright red
Elevation: 3,000-4,500 feet

BEAVERTAIL CACTUS
Opuntia basilaris

Desert: Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran
Height: 12-18 inches
Pads: Shaped like a beaver's tail, gray-green to 13 inches
Flowers: Bright rose, 2-3 inches
Fruit: Oval to 1.5 inches, gray -brown, dry at maturity with many seeds
Elevation: 0-9,000 feet

BLIND PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia rufida

Desert: Chihuahuan near Big Bend, Texas
Height: Up to 6 feet
Pads: Circular, 6 inches, covered with velvety hairs and reddish glochids
Flowers: Bright yellow, orange with age
Fruit: Red and fleshy
Elevation: 2,000-3,500 feet

BROWN-SPINDED PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia phaeacantha

Desert: Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan
Height: 2-3 feet
Pads: Oblong, blue-green, 4-6 inches
Flowers: Yellow, sometimes red at the base
Fruit: Plump, juicy red or purple
Elevation: 2,000-8,000 feet

ENGLEMANN'S PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia engelmannii

Desert: Sonoran and Chihuahuan
Height: Up to 5 feet
Pads: Blue-green, 12-inch circular or oblong
Flowers: Yellow to peach with age
Fruit: Large, juicy, reddish purple
Elevation: 1,500-6,200 feet

HEDGEHOG PRICKLY PEAR / PORCUPINE PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia erinacea

Desert: Mojave, Great Basin
Height: 12-18 inches
Pads: Spiny, 5 inches
Flowers: Bright yellow or rose
Fruit: Very spiny
Elevation: 1,500-7,500 feet

LOW PRICKLY PEAR / SMOOTH PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia humifusa

Desert: Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan
Height: Up to 2 feet
Pads: Oval or round, 3-6 inches
Flowers: Sulfur yellow with red base
Fruit: Pear-shaped and hairless
Elevation: 0-5,500 feet

NEW MEXICO PRICKLY PEAR / PURPLE-FRUITED PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia phaecantha

Desert: Chihuahuan Desert
Height: Up to 3.5 feet
Pads: Green, 4-6 inches with downward spines
Flowers: Bright yellow, 2 inches
Fruit: Pear-shaped, reddish purple
Elevation: 500-3,000 feet

PANCAKE PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia chlorotica

Desert: Mojave and Sonoran
Height: Up to 7 feet
Pads: Circular, bluish, arising from a thick, round trunk
Flowers: Yellow with red centers
Fruit: Fleshy, purple-gray
Elevation: 2,000-6,000 feet

PLAINS PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia polycantha

Desert: Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan
Height: 6-12 inches
Pads: Oval, 3-4 inches, blue-green
Flowers: Reddish-orange to yellow, 2.5 inches.
Fruit: Very spiny, to 1.5 inches, tan and dry when ripe
Elevation: 4,000-10,000 feet

PURPLE PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia violacea

Desert: Chihuahuan
Height: Up to 3.5 feet
Pads: Oblong, bluish purple, with long black or white spines
Flowers: Yellow with red centers
Fruit: Oval to 1.5 inches, green
Elevation: 3,000-5,500 feet

SANTA RITA PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia violacea

Desert: Chihuahuan
Height: Up to 6 feet
Pads: Hairless lavender to purple
Flowers: Lemon-yellow
Fruit: Oval to 1.5 inches, green
Elevation: 1,500-7,500 feet

SPINY-FRUITED PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia spinosbacca

Desert: Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend, Texas
Height: Up to 4 feet
Pads: Elongated, yellow-green with orange spines
Flowers: Yellow-orange with red bases
Fruit: Spiny, fleshy, yellow-green
Elevation: 2,000-3,000 feet

TEXAS PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia lindheimeri

Desert: Chihuahuan
Height: Up to 5.5 feet
Pads: 10-inch oval with translucent yellow spines
Flowers: Yellow
Fruit: Purple with white top
Elevation: 0-4,600 feet

TUBEROUS PRICKLY PEAR
Opuntia macrorhiza

Desert: Sonoran and Chihuahuan
Height: 6 inches
Pads: Dark green or blue-green
Flowers: Yellow, red centers or all red
Fruit: Juicy and spineless
Elevation: 2,000-9,000 feet

JD~


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## jensgotfaith (Jun 5, 2011)

JD you totally rock! That's why I love this forum! So much knowledge is shared. I do have a question for you though- How fast do they grow and is there any difference between the different species? I have been debating growing some, but we typically buy it from our local farmer's market. We've become regulars at one particular stand and typically will buy 7 pounds per week. That's a lot of pads, at least I think it is. Tex loves them and Captain Jack is beginning to. I guess I'm just trying to find out if, using as much as I do, if I'm better off buying vs. planting. Thank you!


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## DeanS (Jun 5, 2011)

Anyone wants a quick tutorial (with pictures)...go to www.rivenrock.com and click on John's catalog icon...it shows the pad as well as fruit and flowers...


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## SILVERSTAR (Jun 5, 2011)

I HAVE A OPUNTIA CACTUS thats flat and grows long and skinny,not jus mine but the ones i cut mine off of also.JUS wondering wut kind it was.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Jun 5, 2011)

WOW, Very nice. JD, impressive.


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