Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina
Porcupine prickly-pear, Porcupine Prickly-Pear
(c) Andrey Zharkikh, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cactaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina (Porcupine prickly-pear) is a native California shrub in the Cactaceae family, recognized by dark spine color.
Porcupine prickly-pear is a California native shrub found in the southeastern desert regions in desert grassland and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 1,500 to 2,600 meters. Flowering from May to June, this cactus produces pale flowers with distinctive spiny areoles. Growing as a low shrub with spreading brown to black spines 5 to 8 centimeters long, it forms dense, protective clusters with shorter gray spines. Its areoles are densely covered with 4 to 18 spines, creating a formidable defensive structure. The fruit is similarly spiny, with 11 to 21 areoles providing additional protection in harsh desert environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; dark spine color is diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon in California. Desert grassland, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 1500-2600 m
California counties: Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, Tulare
Outside California: to Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Cylindropuntia: Opuntia has flat paddle segments; Cylindropuntia has cylindrical stems with papery spine sheaths.; vs Echinocereus: Opuntia has flat pads; Echinocereus has cylindrical stems that branch into clusters.; vs Euphorbia: Opuntia has true spines from areoles on fleshy pads; Euphorbia has milky sap and no areoles.; vs Austrocylindropuntia: Opuntia has broad flat pads; Austrocylindropuntia has pencil-thin cylindrical stems.; vs Cephalocereus: Opuntia has flat jointed pads; Cephalocereus has tall unbranched columns with woolly hair.
Frequently asked questions
Is Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina native to California?
Yes. Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina bloom?
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina grow?
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina occurs in Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, Tulare, at elevations of 1500-2600 m.
What plant family does Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina belong to?
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina is in the Cactaceae family, genus Opuntia.
What habitat does Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina grow in?
Opuntia polyacantha var. hystricina grows in Uncommon in California. Desert grassland, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.