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Opuntia santarita

Accession Count: 2
Common Name: Santa Rita prickly pear
Family Name: Cactaceae
Botanical Name: Opuntia santarita
Synonyms:
Botanical Synonyms: Opuntia gosseliniana var. santarita
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:

The purple prickly pear is a desert cactus that stands upright, but branches at the base. It has obovate, teardrop-shaped pads that are about eight inches long. These pads are purple and have yellow to reddish spines.

Compound: Opu san
Geographic Origin: Sonora, Chihuahua, Baja California
Ecozone Origin: Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History: This purple prickly pear originated in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Baja California at elevations of 3,000 to 4,000 feet.
Cultivation Notes: The purple prickly pear has a moderate growth rate and requires little to no water. It does well in fully sunny locations and is hardy.
Ethnobotany:

The purple prickly pear has landscape value in that it provides a bright contrasting color to a desert landscape.
Height: 0 - 5 feet
Width: 0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate Growing
Grow Season: Spring
Flower Season: ForeSummer
Color: Yellow
Function:
Spread: Non-spreading
Allergen: Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Toxicity:
Hardy: Hardy
Water Use: Low water Use
Citations:
1. Quinn, Meg. Wildflowers of the Desert Southwest. Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2000.
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Opuntia santarita