Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus

Continuing down the trail, you may be surprised to see instantly recognizable Prickly Pear Cactus growing close by. While you may have seen this plant on your plate as nopales, Prickly Pear Cactus is actually native to this area, thriving in the demanding, desert-like environment where other plants are unable to survive. Specially adapted pads or flat stems are thick and low-lying to conserve water and limit sun exposure on hot dry days during the summer. Most of the plant's water is stored in the stems because its true leaves are thin smaller pads. Prickly pear blooms big yellow flowers in the summer, followed by a bulbous purple prickly pear fruit. Animals eat the fruit and paddles, somehow avoiding the spines that make the plant prickly. Humans are not so lucky to have that adaptation.