Colorful pricklypear cactus flowers command our attention

How can something as spiky and treacherous as a pricklypear cactus produce such a delicate and inviting flower? That’s a mystery for another day. For now, the colorful show on the range, along roadsides and in local nature parks are the blooms of the Texas state plant.

Pricklypear is the common name of a large group of cacti in the Opuntia genus. There are more than 100 species native to the Americas and some 20 species in Texas.

Bloom time is April to early June. Ample sunlight triggers the blooming. Cactus flowers are primarily pollinated by insects like bees, moths and flies, and other creatures such as hummingbirds, songbirds, bats and lizards. Pollinators are attracted to the bright colors, strong scents and nectar of cactus flowers. A cactus flower needs to be pollinated to develop fruit.

Pricklypear species vary in size, shape, thickness and green or blue-green color of pads, and color, length and groupings of spines. Environmental conditions can cause growth differences, making it difficult to correctly identify species.

What does remain constant is that they bloom every year. They are not dependent on rain in order to bloom.

Pricklypear cactus have been known to live well over 20 years. Different varieties grow differently in size and whether erect, sprawling or even tree like.

The most common pricklypear cactus in southern Texas and along the Texas coast is Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri; it is endemic to Texas and Louisiana and Northern Mexico and carries the most importance on Texas rangelands. It is a long-lived succulent plant, surviving in the full sun, drought, heat and salt.

The species often grows to five feet tall, erect or spreading with a width of 10 to 15 feet and a more or less definite trunk. Flowers can be as large as five inches across. Petal colors vary from yellow to yellow-orange to red, pink, coral and pale brown, often with a range of colors on one plant. The fruit is a very seedy prickly pear, or tuna that turns purple when mature.

Plants can live 20 years or more. Some have weak stems that can fall from the main cactus onto the ground where they can take root and form a new plant. Many species have clusters of fine, barbed spines called glochids, that grow at the base of the large spines — unnoticeable until they get lodged in the skin. Keep a pair of tweezers handy.

Many animals rely on pricklypear cactus for food and protection. Javelinas, jackrabbits, squirrels, prairie dogs, various rodents, bats, lizards, iguana, coyotes, birds and even some reptiles and insects eat the fruit and or the pads. Deer are known to browse on them. Spines are not a deterrent for these animals, who have adaptations to either avoid them or consume them safely, according to a National Park Service article.

Packrats often build dens at the base of pricklypear plants, which provides them protection from some of their predators. Some birds, and even hummingbirds build nests in pricklypear cactus.

Articles from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, National Park Service, Wikipedia and wildflowers.org were helpful in writing this article.

Anita Westervelt is a Texas Master Naturalist.

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