Opuntia curvispina

Family: Cactaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Curvespine prickly pear is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native shrub found in grasslands, juniper-grassland, open interior chaparral, and Joshua-tree woodlands of the Mojave Desert region at elevations of 900 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this distinctive cactus produces clear yellow flowers with a base tinged in dull red or pink, creating a vibrant contrast against its green-gray segments. Growing 0.4 to 1.2 meters tall, it forms a distinctive shrub with spreading branches emerging from a cylindrical trunk, characterized by segments that are round to elliptic and covered in striking reddish spines that are often twisted and reflexed. Its paddle-like segments are grayish to yellow-green and glaucous, with 4 to 6 spines per areole that can reach 4 to 7 centimeters long and display bright red to reddish-yellow coloration. The fruit is a juicy, pale to dark red or reddish-pink globe 3 to 5 centimeters long, with green interior and numerous areoles.

Habitat: Grassland, juniper-grassland, open interior chaparral, Joshua-tree woodland

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 900-1500 m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.