Opuntia

Opuntia flower buds forming across the pad.    Opuntia flowers nearly finished.

Opuntia ficus-indica pad with flower formation across it. They normally only flower on the edges near the tips.

Opuntia ficus-indica: "Beavertail"

The name "Beavertail refers to the large pads this species has. It is nearly spineless but has the small irritating glochids common to all opuntias. This is one of the largest species commonly seen in New Zealand. It tends to grow in a spreading clump, but with pruning it can be encouraged into more of a tree-like habit.

 

Opuntia ficus-indica flowers showing daily colour changes.

Opuntia ficus-indica bud and flowers showing the colour changes as they open last

two or three days. The ruler is in centimetres ( 1 inch =2.5cm)

The form we have is yellow flowered, but on the second day of opening they are usually darker apricot or orange coloured as the picture shows. The flowers are followed by "pears", which tend to ripen in winter and spring. Birds distributed the seeds at Otorohanga. Starlings would eat the fleshy pulp, distributing the seeds, which occaisionally landed in a cactus garden and germinated. The proliferation of growth in our climate means there is usually no suitable situation for the seeds to germinate.

There are other forms in New Zealand with red flowers and fruit but these are uncommon.