The prickly pear cactus (Genus: Opuntia) is a group of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, known for their distinctive flat, paddle-shaped pads, colorful blooms, and nutrient-rich fruits. Native to arid regions of North and South America, they thrive in deserts and coastal plains.

Description

Its vibrant flowers, which range from yellow and orange to pink and red, typically bloom from early spring to late summer. These large, axillary flowers are bisexual, containing both male and female reproductive organs. The stamens are arranged in spiral or whorled clusters, while the gynoecium consists of multiple inferior ovaries per carpel. The resulting fruit is a berry containing arillate seeds with parietal placentation.

Another notable feature of this group is its thick, fleshy pads, known as nopales, which store water, enabling the plant to withstand extreme drought. These pads are either covered in sharp spines or tiny hair-like glochids (spineless). Those with spines are better suited for outdoor environments, while those with glochids are more suitable for indoors. 

Taxonomy and Classification

• In 1753, Carl Linnaeus, in his book Species Plantarum, grouped all cactus species under a single genus, Cactus.
• In 1754, Scottish botanist Philip Miller reclassified these plants into multiple genera, including Opuntia, using the shapes of their flowers and fruits as key distinguishing features.
• After considerable modifications within the group based on molecular and phylogenetic studies, over 150 species are currently recognized within this group.

Here is the taxonomic position of this group:

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Cactaceae
Subfamily: Opuntioideae
Tribe: Opuntieae
Genus: Opuntia

List of All Types of Prickly Pear Cactus

Although a diverse group, each species of prickly pear has some distinct features. Below is a list of all prickly pear cactus species, along with their distributions and blooming periods:

PopularityPopularAll

Indoor SuitabilityAllYes

ThornsAllTrue SpineGlochidsTrue Spine & Glochids

Name	Scientific Name	Spine/Glochids ‘Spineless’	Indoor Suitability-Yes/No	Popular/All	Distribution	Blooming Period
	Opuntia abjecta				United States (Florida Keys)
	Opuntia azurea	True Spine	Yes		NE. Mexico	March to May
Chenille Prickly Pear	Opuntia aciculata	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	United States (Texas) to N. Mexico	April to June
Beavertail Cactus	Opuntia basilaris	Glochids	Yes	Popular	SW. United States to NW. Mexico	April to June
Pancake Prickly Pear	Opuntia chlorotica	True Spine	Yes	Popular	SW. United States & N. Mexico	April to June
Engelmann’s Prickly Pear	Opuntia engelmannii	True Spine	Yes	Popular	S., Central, & SW. United States, & N. Mexico	April to June
	Opuntia cochenillifera	True Spine & Glochids	Yes		Central America & S. Mexico	September to March
	Opuntia cespitosa	True Spine	Yes		SE. Canada to E. Central & E. United States	May to June
Indian Fig Opuntia	Opuntia ficus-indica	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	Mexico  (Oaxaca)	May to July
Galápagos Prickly Pear	Opuntia galapageia	True Spine	Yes	Popular	Galápagos Islands	April to June
Violet Prickly Pear	Opuntia gosseliniana	True Spine	Yes	Popular	United States (Arizona) to Mexico (Sonora)	April to June
Brittle Cactus	Opuntia fragilis	True Spine	Yes	Popular	United States and Canada (up to 56°N)	June to July
Eastern Prickly Pear	Opuntia humifusa	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	E. United States, Canada, Mexico (Tamaulipas & San Luis Potosí)	June
Arborescent Prickly Pear	Opuntia leucotricha	Glochids	Yes	Popular	N. & W. Mexico	March to May
Coastal Prickly Pear	Opuntia littoralis	True Spine	Yes	Popular	United States (California) to Mexico (Baja California Norte)	May to June
Long-Spined Purplish Prickly Pear	Opuntia macrocentra	True Spine	Yes	Popular	SW. United States & N. Mexico	March to June
	Opuntia macrorhiza	True Spine	Yes		United States (except in N. Dakota), extending to E. United States (Kentucky)	May to June
Chaparral Prickly Pear	Opuntia oricola	True Spine	Yes	Popular	California to Mexico (Baja California Norte)	May to June
Drooping Prickly Pear	Opuntia monacantha	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay	October to March
Desert Prickly Pear	Opuntia phaeacantha	True Spine	Yes	Popular	SW. United States & N. Mexico.	May to July
Bunny Ears Cactus	Opuntia microdasys	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	Central & N. Mexico	April to mid-May
Wheel Cactus	Opuntia robusta	True Spine	Yes	Popular	Central & N. Mexico to within 100 miles of the Arizona & New Mexico borders	April to June
Plains Prickly Pear	Opuntia polyacantha	True Spine	Yes	Popular	W. Canada, Central & W. United States, & N. Mexico (Chihuahua)	May to July
Blind Prickly Pear	Opuntia rufida	Glochids	Yes	Popular	S. United States (SW Texas) to N. Mexico (NE. Mexico)	April to June
	Opuntia nemoralis	True Spine			S. & Central United States (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, & Texas)	May to June
Erect Prickly Pear	Opuntia stricta	True Spine	No	Popular	SE. United States to E. & S. Mexico	May to June
Woollyjoint Prickly Pear	Opuntia tomentosa	True Spine & Glochids	Yes	Popular	Mexico through Central America to Honduras	April to June
	Opuntia sulphurea				Bolivia to Uruguay
	Opuntia tuna				Mexico & S. Jamaica
	Opuntia altomagdalenensis				Colombia
	Opuntia amarilla				Mexico (Guanajuato to Hidalgo)
	Opuntia anahuacensis				United States (Texas)
	Opuntia arechavaletae				S. Brazil to NE. Argentina
	Opuntia atrispina				SW. Texas to Mexico (Chihuahua & Coahuila)
	Opuntia auberi				Central & N. Mexico to Central America, & Cuba.
	Opuntia aurantiaca				NE. Argentina to Uruguay
	Opuntia aurea				United States (S. Utah to N. Arizona)
	Opuntia aureispina				United States (SW. Texas) to Mexico (Coahuila)
	Opuntia austrina				United States (Central Florida)
	Opuntia bonaerensis				Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) to NE. Argentina
	Opuntia bonplandii				Ecuador.
	Opuntia bravoana				Mexico (Baja California Sur)
	Opuntia caboensis				Mexico (Baja California Sur).
	Opuntia camanchica				United States (SE. California to W. Oklahoma & W. & S. Texas)
	Opuntia canterae				SW. & S. Uruguay
	Opuntia caracassana				S. Caribbean to Colombia
	Opuntia chaffeyi				NE. Mexico
	Opuntia chiangiana				Mexico (Oaxaca)
	Opuntia chisosensis				United States (Texas) to Mexico (Coahuila)
	Opuntia clarkiorum				Mexico (Baja California Norte)
	Opuntia crassa				Mexico (México State to Guanajuato).
	Opuntia crystalenia				Mexico (Tabasco)
	Opuntia cubensis				Cuba
	Opuntia curassavica				Caribbean to N. Venezuela
	Opuntia curvispina				United States (S. Nevada to SE. California and W. & N. Arizona.)
	Opuntia deamii				Mexico (Chiapas) to Honduras
	Opuntia decumbens				S. Mexico
	Opuntia dejecta				Mexico to Nicaragua, Cuba
	Opuntia delafuentiana				Mexico (Hidalgo)
	Opuntia depressa				SW. & Central Mexico (to Veracruz)
	Opuntia diploursina				SW. United States (Grand Canyon and Lake Mead National Recreation Area)
	Opuntia discolor				Bolivia to N. Argentina
	Opuntia drummondii				SW. United States
	Opuntia dulcis				United States (New Mexico to W. Texas.)
	Opuntia eichlamii				Mexico (Chiapas) to Guatemala
	Opuntia elata				S. Bolivia to Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) and N. to Argentina
	Opuntia elatior				S. Caribbean, Costa Rica to Venezuela
	Opuntia elizondoana				Mexico (Guanajuato to San Luis Potosí).
	Opuntia erinacea				United States (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and N. Mexico)
	Opuntia excelsa				Mexico (to Sinaloa)
	Opuntia escuintlensis				Mexico (Chiapas)
	Opuntia feroacantha				Mexico (Sinaloa to Michoacán)
	Opuntia fuliginosa				Mexico (Sonoran Desert)
	Opuntia gallegiana				Mexico (Zacatecas).
	Opuntia guatemalensis				Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca), Nicaragua
	Opuntia guilanchi				N. Mexico (Coahuila)
	Opuntia hitchcockii				Mexico (Sinaloa, Nayarit)
	Opuntia hondurensis				Honduras
	Opuntia howeyi				Mexico (Zacatecas)
	Opuntia huajuapensis				Mexico (Veracruz, Puebla, & Oaxaca)
	Opuntia hyptiacantha				Mexico
	Opuntia inaequilateralis				Peru
	Opuntia inaperta				SE. Mexico (to Veracruz)
	Opuntia jaliscana				West Mexico (Jalisco)
	Opuntia jamaicensis				Jamaica
	Opuntia kingstoniana				Jamaica
	Opuntia lagunae				Mexico (Baja California Sur)
	Opuntia lasiacantha				N. & Central Mexico
	Opuntia lutea				Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas), Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, & Nicaragua
	Opuntia mackensenii				United States (Texas)
	Opuntia mantaroensis				Peru
	Opuntia martiniana				United States (Arizona)
	Opuntia matudae				Central & S. Mexico
	Opuntia maxima				Central & SW. Mexico
	Opuntia megacantha				Mexico (to Jalisco)
	Opuntia megapotamica				Argentina, Brazil, & Uruguay
	Opuntia megarrhiza				Mexico (Tamaulipas & San Luis Potosí)
	Opuntia mesacantha				United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee, & Virginia)
	Opuntia militaris				Cuba
	Opuntia nicholii				United States (Arizona, Nevada, & Utah)
	Opuntia ochrocentra				United States (Big Pine Key in Florida)
	Opuntia orbiculata				United States (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, & Texas), & Mexico
	Opuntia pachyrrhiza				Mexico (Nuevo León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí)
	Opuntia parviclada				Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca)
	Opuntia peckii				Mexico
	Opuntia perotensis				Mexico (Veracruz)
	Opuntia pilifera				Central Mexico (to Oaxaca)
	Opuntia pinkavae				United States (SW. Utah to NW. Arizona)
	Opuntia pittieri				Colombia
	Opuntia pottsii				United States (SE. Arizona to W. Texas) and NE. Mexico
	Opuntia preciadoae				N. Mexico
	Opuntia puberula				Mexico to Guatemala
	Opuntia pubescens				Mexico to Venezuela and Paraguay
	Opuntia pycnantha				Mexico (Baja California Sur)
	Opuntia quimilo				Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay
	Opuntia quitensis				Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
	Opuntia rastrera				Mexico (to Veracruz and Jalisco)
	Opuntia repens				Hispaniola to the Virgin Islands
	Opuntia retrorsa				Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, & Uruguay
	Opuntia ritteri				Mexico (Zacatecas)
	Opuntia robinsonii				N. & W. Mexico
	Opuntia rzedowskii				Mexico (México D.F.)
	Opuntia sanguinea				Jamaica
	Opuntia scheeri				NE. Mexico (to Jalisco)
	Opuntia schumannii				Colombia & Venezuela
	Opuntia setocarpa				Mexico (Jalisco)
	Opuntia sierralagunensis				Mexico (Baja California Sur).
	Opuntia soederstromiana				Colombia & Ecuador
	Opuntia spinosibacca				United States (SW. Texas) to Mexico (Coahuila)
	Opuntia spinulifera				E. & Central Mexico
	Opuntia stenarthra				E. Bolivia to Central Paraguay and NE. Argentina
	Opuntia stenopetala				NE. Mexico (to Veracruz)
	Opuntia streptacantha				Mexico to Guatemala
	Opuntia strigil					May to June
	Opuntia tapona				United States (W. Texas) to NE. Mexico
	Opuntia tehuacana				Mexico (Puebla & Oaxaca)
	Opuntia tehuantepecana				Mexico (Oaxaca & Chiapas)
	Opuntia tezontepecana				Mexico (Hidalgo)
	Opuntia tortispina				United States (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, & Wyoming )
	Opuntia triacanthos				Puerto Rico to Lesser Antilles.
	Opuntia tunoidea				United States (Coastal S. Carolina)
	Opuntia velutina				N. and Central Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua)
	Opuntia wilcoxii				N. Mexico (Coahuila and Nuevo León)
	Opuntia zacuapanensis				Mexico (Veracruz)
	Opuntia zamudioi				Mexico (Querétaro, San Luis Potosí)

* Glochids are tiny, hair-like spines, but are not true spines

Common Natural Hybrids

Prickly pear species readily hybridize, making them even more difficult to classify. Here is a list of some common hybridized species along with their parents:

Scientific Name	Parents	Distribution
Opuntia × kelvinensis	O. engelmannii × O. phaeacantha	SW. USA (Arizona)
Opuntia × vaseyi	O. ficus-indica × O. stricta	SE. USA, Mexico
Opuntia × andersonii	O. engelmannii × O. microdasys	NE. Mexico
Opuntia × carstenii	O. microdasys × O. stenopetala	Mexico (Coahuila)
Opuntia × alta	O. engelmannii var. lindheimeri × O. stricta	SE. Texas to SW. Louisiana
Opuntia × cochinera	O. microdasys × O. stenopetala	Mexico (Coahuila)
Opuntia × coloradensis	O. fragilis × O. polyacantha var. hystricina	United States (Colorado)
Opuntia × columbiana	O. fragilis × O. polyacantha	W. Canada to NW. U.S.A
Opuntia × cristalensis	O. elata var. obovata × O. ficus-indica	Argentina
Opuntia × debreczyi	O. fragilis × O. polyacantha	SW. Wyoming to NW. New Mexico
Opuntia × demissa	O. littoralis × O. oricola	California
Opuntia × occidentalis	O. engelmannii × O. littoralis × O. phaeacantha	SW. California to Mexico (Baja California)
Opuntia × rooneyi	O. aureispina × O. macrocentra	SW. Texas
Opuntia × aequatorialis	O. pubescens × O. soederstromiana	Ecuador
Opuntia × pinkavae	O. basilaris × O. phaeacantha	USA (Utah), Nevada

Uses

Prickly pear cacti play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in arid and semi-arid regions. Their resilience in harsh environments makes them a keystone species, supporting biodiversity and stabilizing ecosystems. Beyond their ecological significance, prickly pears are also consumed as food. Their pads (nopales) and fruits (tunas) are widely consumed, especially in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, nopales are valued for their anti-inflammatory properties and potential role in regulating blood sugar levels.

The adaptability, drought tolerance, and ornamental values of prickly pear cactus make them a favorite among plant enthusiasts.