Cacti

Cacti are by far my favorite plant. They provide homes for desert creatures and delicious fruits, withstand the most insufferable climates, and can even squeegee your third eye. The prickly parts of a cacti are either Spines (the longer protrusions) or Glochids which resemble short hairs. The latter are the most painful and troublesome as they are barbed and difficult to remove.

 

Prickly Pears (Opuntia Ficus-Indica)

The most giving and forgiving of the Opuntias. Each year a new set of paddles grows upon the existing paddles. You can estimate the age of the plant by counting from the bottom to the farthest step away. The base paddle will become woody over time to support the behemoth it's destined to become. Their paddles are edible until they become mature and their flowers are bisexual. BEWARE of white fuzzy spots on the paddles areolas. This is the incredibly invasive cochineal bug aka carmine aka Natural Red 4 dye. The cochineal will eat your plant from the inside out and if left to proliferate eventually kill the plant. I use insect soap and manual removal to manage them. In my 13 years of growing cacti they have only showed up in the last three years but i have noticed a significant increase in our region. If you are into natural dyes and want to grow your own dye there are videos on YouTube, but don't get crazy wit it. 

 

Snow Prickly Pear (Opuntia Erinacea Ursine)

Native to Nort and South America, yellow flowers in the spring give this hairy boi some beautiful contrast

 

 Opuntia Santa Rita

Santa Rita cacti have rounded paddles that turn purple as they age. They have long spines and glochids and will grow up to eight feet tall and wide.