Scientific Name: Opuntia sp.
? Perennial, native to the Sonoran Desert.
? Prickly pear fruits ripen in July and August and will persist for several months, providing an important food source for rabbits, packrats, javelina, deer, squirrels, desert tortoises, cactus beetles, and may varieties of birds.
? Cattle will eat prickly pear pads if little else is available.
? Fruits are used to make jellies and red dye. The stem pulp is used in face creams and water purifiers.

Photo: Taken at Brown's Ranch on October 26, 2007. For more photos, click on camera icon.

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