Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Caryophyllales>Cactaceae>Opuntia humifusa (Rafinesque) Rafinesque var. humifusa

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Fairly common in dry, sandy, open areas in the Coastal Plain, this low-growing cactus also rarely occurs in the Mountains and Piedmont of North Carolina.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

The spines (sometimes lacking) are not nearly as obnoxious as those of the less common Dune Prickly-pear (Opuntia pusilla), which is restricted to the immediate coast.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Showy yellow flowers appear in late spring.

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) pad

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Wake Co., NC 5/23/2009.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) flower

Robeson Co., NC 5/29/08.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) fruit

The prickly, pear-shaped fruits ripen in fall.

Eastern Prickly-pear is given the fanciful moniker "Devil's-tongue" by the USDA PLANTS website. Formerly known as Opuntia compressa.

Sandhills Game Land, Scotland Co., NC 9/24/03.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa)

Currituck Co., NC 11/8/08.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa)

Currituck Co., NC 11/8/08.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) fruit

The fruits, which are technically berries, are edible when ripe.

Eastern Prickly-pear (Opuntia humifusa) fruit

The flesh is moderately tasty. The seeds are extremely hard and surrounded by amazingly mucilaginous goo (to use the precise botanical term for it).

More information:
Bioimages
Connecticut Wildflowers
USDA PLANTS

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