Opuntia Macrocentra * Mini Purple Prickly Pear Cactus * 5 Rare Seeds *

THIS LISTING IS FOR 5 SEEDS OF OPUNTIA MACROCENTRA The Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrocentra) is a ground-hugging to nearly upright branched shrubs 60-120 cm tall, up to 3 m wide, usually 4-10 joints high; rarely with distinct trunks. The red-tinged succulent pads and very long spines (macrocentra means long spine) easily distinguish it from the many other species of prickly pear. The purple tinge is greatest around the areoles and on the edges, although the entire plant may be purple in winter. Opuntia macrocentra is easily recognized by its purple pads, a color that becomes more pronounced after long periods without rainfall. The species tends to have dark (sometimes light) spines that grow preferentially from the top of the pads, but it is prone to hybridization, giving rise to a more uniform covering of spines, and less even purple coloration. Occasionally spines are absent, and when present are quite variable in both number (1 to 15) and length (1 to 4 inches). Flowers are yellow with a red center, and appear in late spring, while the fruits are purple, an inch or more long. The plant spreads sideways more than upwards, and does not develop a central trunk; new pads readily take root, so the clump never becomes more than 3 feet high. Hardiness Zones ; 6-11