Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Desert

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Spines

Status

G3

About

Black-spined Pricklypear is a cactus species native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico, and is most notable for its purple pigmentation in the stem. This unique characteristic sets it apart from other cacti, making it a fascinating subject for collectors and botanists alike.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Cactaceae

Genus

Opuntia

Species

Opuntia macrocentra