I pad of Opuntia engelmannii
Opuntia engelmannii is a prickly pear common across the south-central and Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It goes by a variety of common names, including cow's tongue cactus, cow tongue prickly pear, desert prickly pear, discus prickly pear, Engelmann's prickly pear, and Texas prickly pear in the US, and nopal, abrojo, joconostle, and vela de coyote in Mexico.
The nomenclatural history of this species is somewhat complicated due to the varieties, as well as its habit of hybridizing with Opuntia phaeacantha.
Description
The overall form of Opuntia engelmannii is generally shrubby, with dense clumps up to 3.5 metres (11 ft) high, usually with no apparent trunk. The pads are green (rarely blue-green), obovate to round, about 15–30 cm long and 12–20 cm wide.[3]
The glochids are yellow initially, then brown with age. Spines are extremely variable, with anywhere from 1-8 per areole, and often absent from lower areoles; they are yellow to white, slightly flattened, and 1–6 cm long.
The flowers are yellow, occasionally reddish, 5–8 cm in diameter and about as long. Flowering is in April and May, with each bloom lasting only one day, opening at about 8AM and closing 8 hours later. Pollinators include solitary bees, such as the Antophoridae, and sap beetles.
The purple fleshy fruits are 3–7 cm long.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
Bloom Season
Flower Color
Growth Rate
Hardiness Zone
Mature Size
Resistance
Sun Exposure
| Bloom Season | Mid spring |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Opuntia engelmannii |
| Common Name | Texas prickly pea |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower Color | Orange, gold (yelloworange), bright yellow |
| Genus | Opuntia |
| Growth Habit | bushy succulent shrub |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Hardiness Zone | 8a to 10a |
| Mature Size | 5′ (1.5 m) tall |
| Native Area | Mexico to us |
| Resistance | 10° f (12° c) |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (6+ hrs.), Partial shade (3–6 hrs. sun) |
Growers Quick Reference Guide - Key Features
| Bloom Season | Mid spring |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Opuntia engelmannii |
| Common Name | Texas prickly pea |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower Color | Orange, gold (yelloworange), bright yellow |
| Genus | Opuntia |
| Growth Habit | bushy succulent shrub |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Hardiness Zone | 8a to 10a |
| Mature Size | 5′ (1.5 m) tall |
| Native Area | Mexico to us |
| Resistance | 10° f (12° c) |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (6+ hrs.), Partial shade (3–6 hrs. sun) |
- Description
- Key Plant Features
I pad of Opuntia engelmannii
Opuntia engelmannii is a prickly pear common across the south-central and Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It goes by a variety of common names, including cow's tongue cactus, cow tongue prickly pear, desert prickly pear, discus prickly pear, Engelmann's prickly pear, and Texas prickly pear in the US, and nopal, abrojo, joconostle, and vela de coyote in Mexico.
The nomenclatural history of this species is somewhat complicated due to the varieties, as well as its habit of hybridizing with Opuntia phaeacantha.
Description
The overall form of Opuntia engelmannii is generally shrubby, with dense clumps up to 3.5 metres (11 ft) high, usually with no apparent trunk. The pads are green (rarely blue-green), obovate to round, about 15–30 cm long and 12–20 cm wide.[3]
The glochids are yellow initially, then brown with age. Spines are extremely variable, with anywhere from 1-8 per areole, and often absent from lower areoles; they are yellow to white, slightly flattened, and 1–6 cm long.
The flowers are yellow, occasionally reddish, 5–8 cm in diameter and about as long. Flowering is in April and May, with each bloom lasting only one day, opening at about 8AM and closing 8 hours later. Pollinators include solitary bees, such as the Antophoridae, and sap beetles.
The purple fleshy fruits are 3–7 cm long.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
Bloom Season
Flower Color
Growth Rate
Hardiness Zone
Mature Size
Resistance
Sun Exposure
| Bloom Season | Mid spring |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Opuntia engelmannii |
| Common Name | Texas prickly pea |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower Color | Orange, gold (yelloworange), bright yellow |
| Genus | Opuntia |
| Growth Habit | bushy succulent shrub |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Hardiness Zone | 8a to 10a |
| Mature Size | 5′ (1.5 m) tall |
| Native Area | Mexico to us |
| Resistance | 10° f (12° c) |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (6+ hrs.), Partial shade (3–6 hrs. sun) |
Growers Quick Reference Guide - Key Features
| Bloom Season | Mid spring |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Opuntia engelmannii |
| Common Name | Texas prickly pea |
| Dormancy | Winter |
| Family | Cactaceae |
| Flower Color | Orange, gold (yelloworange), bright yellow |
| Genus | Opuntia |
| Growth Habit | bushy succulent shrub |
| Growth Rate | Slow |
| Hardiness Zone | 8a to 10a |
| Mature Size | 5′ (1.5 m) tall |
| Native Area | Mexico to us |
| Resistance | 10° f (12° c) |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (6+ hrs.), Partial shade (3–6 hrs. sun) |
