Opuntia

Opuntia is a very large genus of cacti, varying in size from 2 inches tall (5 cm) miniature plants to 100 feet tall (30 m) trees. They are native from Canada, to Chile and Argentina. The genus has been split several times, but there doesn't seem to be a consensus yet on the best way to do that. The name Opuntia comes from the name of a Greek city.

All Opuntias not only have normal spines, but they also have thin barbed spines barely visible, named glochids. These can get stuck in your skin and be very irritating. In some species, they are particularly light and can become airborne when the Opuntia is moved. Wetting the plant before handling it might be a good prevention.

Opuntias often have large, colorful flowers. The fruit is also large and generally edible.

Species and varieties
Opuntia acanthocarpa (Buckhorn Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
Opuntia acanthocarpa var. thornberi (Buckhorn Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
Opuntia andicola (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Opuntia angustata (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia articulata (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail Cactus)
Opuntia basilaris subsp. whitneyana (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. brachyclada (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. heilii (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. humistrata (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. longiareolata (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. ramosa (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. treleasii (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia basilaris var. whitneyana (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia bigelovii (Teddy Bear Cholla, Choya Güera) synonym of Cylindropuntia bigelovii
Opuntia bigelovii var. ciribe (Teddy Bear Cholla, Choya Güera) synonym of Cylindropuntia bigelovii
Opuntia brachyclada (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia brachyclada subsp. humistrata (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia californica (Buckhorn Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
Opuntia camanchica (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia cantabrigiensis (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia charlestonensis (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia chlorotica (Pancake Prickly Pear)
Opuntia ciribe (Teddy Bear Cholla, Choya Güera) synonym of Cylindropuntia bigelovii
Opuntia compressa (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus) synonym of Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia cordobensis (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus) synonym of Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia diademata (Spruce Cone Cholla, Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus var. diadematus
Opuntia dillei (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia discata (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia echinocarpa (Silver Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia echinocarpus
Opuntia emoryi (Devil Cholla, Stanly's Club Cholla) synonym of Grusonia emoryi
Opuntia engelmannii var. discata (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus)
Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis (Cow Tongue Prickly Pear)
Opuntia engelmannii var. littoralis (Coastal Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia littoralis
Opuntia erinacea (Grizzly Bear Cactus) synonym of Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea
Opuntia exaltata (Eve's Needle, Cane Cholla) synonym of Austrocylindropuntia subulata
Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus)
Opuntia glomerata sensu Britton & Rose (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Opuntia guerrana (Nopal Tapón, Bartolona, Silver Dollar) synonym of Opuntia robusta
Opuntia herfeldtii (Cow blinder) synonym of Opuntia rufida
Opuntia humistrata (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia hystricina var. bensonii (Grizzly Bear Cactus) synonym of Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea
Opuntia linguiformis (Cow Tongue Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis
Opuntia littoralis (Coastal Prickly Pear)
Opuntia longiareolata (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia lubrica (Cow blinder) synonym of Opuntia rufida
Opuntia macrocalyx (Bunny Ears, Polka Dot Cactus) synonym of Opuntia microdasys
Opuntia macrocentra (Black-Spine Prickly Pear)
Opuntia maxima (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus) synonym of Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia microcarpa (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia microdasys (Bunny Ears, Polka Dot Cactus)
Opuntia mojavensis (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha (Mojave Prickly Pear)
Opuntia phaeacantha ssp. camanchica (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. angustata (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. charlestonensis (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. discata (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia phaeacantha var. major (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. nigricans (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia phaeacantha var. superbospina (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia platyacantha fa. mojavensis (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea (Grizzly Bear Cactus)
Opuntia procumbens (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia ramosissima (Diamond Cholla, Pencil Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Opuntia robusta (Nopal Tapón, Bartolona, Silver Dollar)
Opuntia robusta var. guerrana (Nopal Tapón, Bartolona, Silver Dollar) synonym of Opuntia robusta
Opuntia rufida (Cow blinder)
Opuntia segethii (Eve's Needle, Cane Cholla) synonym of Austrocylindropuntia subulata
Opuntia stanlyi (Devil Cholla, Stanly's Club Cholla) synonym of Grusonia emoryi
Opuntia strobiliformis (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Opuntia subarmata (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia subulata (Eve's Needle, Cane Cholla) synonym of Austrocylindropuntia subulata
Opuntia superbospina (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha
Opuntia tardospina (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia tesselata (Diamond Cholla, Pencil Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia ramosissima
Opuntia thornberi (Buckhorn Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
Opuntia treleasii (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia tricolor (Engelmann's Prickly pear, Calico Cactus) synonym of Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii
Opuntia tuna-blanca (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus) synonym of Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia turpinii (Paper Spine Cactus) synonym of Tephrocactus articulatus
Opuntia violacea (Black-Spine Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia macrocentra
Opuntia violacea var. castetteri (Black-Spine Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia macrocentra
Opuntia violacea var. macrocentra (Black-Spine Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia macrocentra
Opuntia vulgaris (Prickly pear, Indian Fig, Mission Cactus) synonym of Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia whipplei (Whipple Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia whipplei
Opuntia whitneyana (Beavertail Cactus) synonym of Opuntia basilaris
Opuntia wigginsii (Silver Cholla) synonym of Cylindropuntia echinocarpus
Opuntia woodsii (Mojave Prickly Pear) synonym of Opuntia phaeacantha

© 2004 Philippe Faucon, All Rights Reserved.