Spineless Prickly Pear

(Opuntia cacanapa var. ‘ellisiana’)

A Spineless Prickly Pear cactus in the specimen bed.

The Spineless Prickly Pear, known as Ellisiana, is a cultivar of the Opuntia cacanapa. A popular, cold-hardy variety, it can be found in the specimen beds between the café and the solar field. It boasts high heat tolerance and cold tolerance to zero degrees, making it a desirable choice for deserts with wide temperature ranges. It has a spreading nature, so it can fill in larger spaces.

It blooms in summer with bright yellow flowers followed by dark red edible fruit.

It originates from species in southern Texas and Mexico.

Photo Gallery