Cactaceae
Plains pricklypear
Opuntia polyacantha
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Opuntia
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Common names
By language (3)
- Chinese
- 多刺仙人掌, 猬团扇
- English
- Plains pricklypear, Panhandle prickly-pear
- Polish
- Opuncja wielociernista
Synonyms
- Cactus ferox Nutt.
- Opuntia arrastradillo Backeb.
- Opuntia barbata K.Brandegee ex J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia barbata var. gracillima K.Brandegee ex J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia erinacea var. utahensis (Engelm.) L.D.Benson
- Opuntia media Haw.
- Opuntia missouriensis var. elongata Salm-Dyck
- Opuntia missouriensis var. microsperma Engelm.
- Opuntia missouriensis var. rufispina Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow
- Opuntia missouriensis var. salmonea Späth ex J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia missouriensis var. subinermis Engelm.
- Opuntia polyacantha subsp. borealis (J.M.Coult.) Piper & Beattie
- Opuntia polyacantha var. borealis J.M.Coult.
- Opuntia polyacantha var. erythrostema J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia polyacantha var. rufispina (Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow) L.D.Benson
- Opuntia polyacantha var. salmonea J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia polyacantha var. schweriniana (K.Schum.) Backeb.
- Opuntia polyacantha var. spirocentra J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia polyacantha var. subinermis J.A.Purpus
- Opuntia polyacantha var. utahensis (Engelm.) Bulot
- Opuntia polyacantha var. watsonii J.M.Coult.
- Opuntia rutila Nutt.
- Opuntia schweriniana K.Schum.
- Opuntia sphaerocarpa var. utahensis Engelm.
- Opuntia spirocentra Engelm. & J.M.Bigelow ex Haage
- Opuntia splendens Pfeiff.
- Opuntia utahensis J.A.Purpus
- Tunas polyacantha (Haw.) Nieuwl. & Lunell
Flowers
- Flower colour
- yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Shrub
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Photos
Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: greg willamson, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Tenneh Garlimah, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: paddy_28, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Raphael Magnet, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: paddy_28, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Thomas Binder, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Thomas Binder, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: motorcross4387, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: paddy_28, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: paddy_28, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Thomas Binder, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
More in Opuntia
- Prickly pearOpuntia ficus-indicaCactaceae
- Angel's-wingsOpuntia microdasysCactaceae
- Erect pricklypearOpuntia strictaCactaceae
- Devil's-tongueOpuntia humifusaCactaceae
- Brittle pricklypearOpuntia fragilisCactaceae
- Cactus appleOpuntia engelmanniiCactaceae
- Common pricklypearOpuntia monacanthaCactaceae
- Tulip pricklypearOpuntia phaeacanthaCactaceae
- Beavertail pricklypearOpuntia basilarisCactaceae
- Dollarjoint pricklypearOpuntia chloroticaCactaceae
- Arborescent pricklypearOpuntia leucotrichaCactaceae
- Elephantear pricklypearOpuntia tunaCactaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.