Prickly pear in bloom

Prickly pear in bloom, originally uploaded by Elizabeth Smith.

This native cactus grows throughout Florida, growing both wild and cultivated.  I sketched this prickly pear cactus blooming along the boardwalk at the Naples Preserve.  I’ve seen prickly pear growing behind the dunes at the beach, sandy scrub areas like those found at the Preserve and some spots in Rookery Bay, and in pinelands. 

Florida has several prickly pear species, and I’m not sure which this might be – possibly Opuntia humifusa (sometimes referred to as Opuntia compressa), which is common throughout the state, as well as the eastern United States, and even northward into Canada.  They prefer full sun and well-drained soils, the flattened pads popping right out of the sand. 

The pads are jointed together, and are armed with large spines and small hair-like spines called glochids.  The clear yellow blooms have numerous stamens at the center, which must have something very delicious to offer – I saw numerous blue-green bees foraging with great abandon!  At Naples Preserve, prickly pear also provides food for the resident gopher tortoises, although humans have used it for centuries.

I’m familiar with the edibility of the fruits and pads; one can visit the local supermarket and see both for sale in the produce department in season.  I knew that some Opuntia species are home to the cochineal, an insect that produces carminic acid which is used to make a red dye (think carmine red).  What I didn’t know was that the plant was used for food, dyestuff, medicine, and trade by the Maya and Aztec peoples. 

More recently, Luther Burbank developed a spineless variety of Opuntia in the early 1900’s.  He suggested that all of the parts of this versatile cactus could be used.  The more I read about this plant, the more I realize that prickly pear cactus is a useful and fascinating plant.  I’m not going to be able to tell you all about this cactus in one blog post, so I hope you’ll have a chance to explore on your own. 

Elizabeth Smith ~ Naples, Florida, USA

Links for more information:

Wikipedia, on Opuntia species.

Cochineal insects see what they look like and how to dye with them.

WikiHow: Preparing prickly pear for eating

Cereus jamacaru - One-night-flower - Maree

Cereus jamacaru (Queen of the Night)
Classification: Cactaceae

Referred to incorrectly as Cereus peruvianus in South Africa.

The Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus repandus, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America as well as the nearby ABC Islands of the Dutch Caribbean. It is also known as Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, cadushi and kayush. With an often tree-like appearance, the Peruvian Apple Cactus' cylindrical gray-green to blue stems can reach 10 meters (33 ft) in height and 10-20 cm in diameter.

It flowers only once a year, normally in June, and the beautiful white or pink nocturnal flowers, with an intoxicating scent, remain open for only one night. It has been declared an 'unwanted' alien invader here in South Africa due to its fast-spreading habit.

This cactus is growing next to our staff quarters and Solly, our Mechanic, was highly upset when I told him I intended chopping it down. He managed to convince me (not that it took too much convincing!) to let it stay, promising that he will keep an eye on it and not let it spread. But as this plant is also spread by birds eating the seeds, it's inevitable that I will soon be removing it.

There is actually great confusion over the name of this cactus, as the name Cereus is used for various cacti. The species name, peruvianus, suggests that it is endemic to Peru, but that is a botanical error. This plant is actually endemic to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Cactus Monday - Cactus Bloom

Cactus Monday - Cactus Bloom, a photo by Teri DC on Flickr.

The cactus are starting to bloom in Arizona and the colors are so glorious.
I just had to paint this one and I was in a free and easy mood when I did this.
 I like it.

Cactus Orange Blossoms - Teri Casper

Cactus Orange Blossoms
Originally uploaded by Teri DC

How about a cactus bloom from Arizona that was especially fun to paint!

Cactus Monday Bloom - Teri Casper

This cactus bloomed before we left Arizona so I took a photo and painted it in Wisconsin.

Cactus Shadows and Bloom - Teri Casper

I have tons of cacti reference photos and found the perfect one to paint. The sun in the southwest can very strong and cast wonderful shadows.  

Even more fun is the bloom growing out of the middle of the pad; something I don't see very often.

Cactus never cease to amaze me.

Cactus Bloom - Teri Casper

I  painted this from a photo I took last spring when this cactus was blooming. Their flowers are so delicate and unfortunately only last for one day, but what a joy to see them.