Optunia and Cholla ID

[ihc6480]

Ran across this forum when looking to ID some cacti and figured I give you guys a shot at Identifing these for me. Sorry I'm not up to speed on the proper names like most of you. I'm just the average guy that likes the real spiny cacti.
Heres pics of my Optunia and Cholla:

[daiv]

I noticed you haven't had any replies on this one. Since no one knows these guys right off the top, I think some research is in order. What can you say for the origin of these guys? I think we'll have the best luck tracking them down through narrowing down their native habitat range.

[ihc6480]

The prickly pear is a native around the KC area, I ran across it while 4 wheeling and it now grows in abundance in my rock garden. It's rapid growing, pads are usually 1 to 1 1/2 times the size of an adult male hand and the blooms are a beautiful yellow averaging 3" to 4" in diameter.
The cholla is suppose to be from the southern Colorado area. The plant in the pic is 1st year growth (fast growing) from a start a friend gave me. He said he believes it's a giant tree cholla.

You have to excuse me for not knowing the proper names (genus) of cacti as I'm new to trying to identify cacti.
I've always liked cacti and I love my prickly pear and cholla.

Thanks for any assistance Daiv.

[kari]

I can ID these KC and Colorado cacti... just need to get home to do it! The prickly pear is likely Opuntia polyacantha trichophora and the cholla could be the common Cylindropuntia imbricata imbricata, but I need to check my resources for the exact names and IDs.

Nice Forum Daiv!

kari

[kari]

Howdy! I think I have it, according to your photo and location data: It looks like one I have in my area, I also have O. polyacantha trichophora which is why I thought that one first, but it could likely be Opuntia macrorhiza macrorhiza. How to check? When you transplanted it was there a large tuberous root? That is, larger than what would be considered usual for some prickly pears?

As for the cholla, I'm still going with Cylindropuntia imbricata, the cane cholla. If it ever blooms, let us know, it should have bright purple and very tasty/sweet flower petals. The prickly pear petals should be yellow with orange-ish centers.

Both cacti are wide-rangin in the south plains, only the prickly pear as far east as KC, into MO a bit. Also in the KC area is O. humifusa, a small non-descript, inconspicuous fleshy-looking prickly pear, easily overlooked except when blooming.

Bye!
kari

[ihc6480]

Thanks for the reply Kari. I'll have to agree with ya on the cholla being Cylindropuntia imbricata. If it ever blooms I'll definitely post pics of it.

As for the prickly pear from what I've studied on it it appears to be Opuntia macrorhiza as you stated.
There was no large tuberous root that I can recall but then again I don't know what is considered usual with prickly pears.
These are the characteristics I know of. It's rapid growing, spreads rather quickly, pads range from small to fairly large, has 1 to 3 spines growing from each areoles and not uncommon to see 4 or 5 blooms on a single pad. OH, if the pads lay on the ground for a period of time it will develop a rootbase and the blooms are yellow with a redish orange vein part way up the petals.
Here's a couple closeups: one of the spines and one of 4 fruit on one pad.



Later
Bill

[kari]

Hi Bill, glad I could help!

I am wondering about the dried fruit and the spine color, though. The Benson description does include reddish brown spines, as rare.

I'll "reprint" the description here in the near future, so you can compare it.

kari

[Atozbotanicals]

https://www.opuntiads.com
Try this website for reliable ID.