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Loughmiller, Campbell and Lynn

Opuntia rufida

Opuntia rufida Engelm.

Blind Pricklypear, Blind Prickly Pear

Cactaceae (Cactus Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: OPRU3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Blind Prickly Pear has an obvious trunk, with many branches, and grows to 5 feet tall. Its joints are circular, dull gray-green, and the pads are covered with many short brown spines. The flowers are about 3 inches across, yellow to bright red-orange, with the full range of colors visible on the same plant at the same time. The fruit is about 1 inch long (248).

From the Image Gallery

14 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Fruit Type: Berry
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: Diurnal.

Distribution

USA: TX

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes
Conditions Comments: Minimum temperature 50F.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Bibliography

Bibref 1140 - Cacti (1991) Clive Innes and Charles Glass
Bibref 1141 - Cactuses of Big Bend National Park (1998) Evans, Douglas B.
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1991 VOL. 8, NO.2 - Wildflower Outlook, Photography Seminars Offered, Ten Favorite Wildflower Areas,...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Opuntia rufida in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Opuntia rufida in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Opuntia rufida

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-21
Research By: TWC Staff

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