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Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf. Indian fig, Indian fig prickly pear, mission cactus, Nopal de Castilla, smooth mountain prickly pear, smooth prickly pear, tuberous prickly pear, tuna de Castilla, tuna mansa, Eastern prickly pear
Eastern prickly pear is widespread in eastern North America. I first encountered these in an outdoor botanical garden in Massachusetts (I have since seen them on sandy soil in urban environments), and I was amazed to learn that there are cacti that grow that far north. Plants: These cacti form low shrubs, sometimes lying very close to the ground and looking rather unhealthy. Oval stem segments resembling Mickey Mouse ears are green to red-purple, 1½-4″ (4-10 cm) by 1½-2″ (4-6 cm), and about ⅜″ (1 cm) thick. Only the upper areoles have spines, which are gray or brownish and ¾-1¾″ (2-5 cm) long. (Sometimes there are no spines.) Flowers: Yellow flowers are up to 1″ (3 cm) in diameter. The purplish or reddish fruits, called tunas, are ½-1½″ (1.5-4 cm) long. Fruits: Mature fruits are 1½-2″ (3.8-5 cm) long and ½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm) across, dull red to reddish brown, and oblanceoloid-oblongoid in shape. Edibility: The egg-shaped fruits are edible, and taste a little like watermelon. References:
Anderson, Edward F., The Cactus Family, Timber Press, 2001, p. 501 Online References:
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database The Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site
5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts Opuntia calcicola Wherry Opuntia compressa auct. non J.F. Macbr. Opuntia compressa J.F. Macbr. var. allairei (Griffiths) D. Weniger， nom. nud. Opuntia compressa J.F. Macbr. var. fuscoatra (Engelm.) D. Weniger， nom. nud. Opuntia compressa J.F. Macbr. var. microsperma (Engelm. & J.M. Bigelow) L.D. Benson Opuntia cumulicola Small Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf. var. humifusa Opuntia rafinesquei Engelm.
Opuntia humifusa description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
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6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
6/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
6/22/2017 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
5/22/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts Range:
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