The yellow frilled
flowers are borne toward the upper part of the
joints 2-3 inches wide.
Early summer. A
dark red 1 inch oblong fruit will sometimes
follow flowering. The fruit is inedible.
Thick, fleshy
sections (joints) are orbicular to obovate, 2-6 inches long the areoles
are sparse, usually spineless except those on
the edge which contain 1 or 2 slender spines ˝ inch
long.
Opuntia is derived from the
Greek name for a different plant which grew
around the ancient town of Opus in
Mediterranean.htm">Greece. Some
species of Opuntia have edible fruit.
