Opuntia leptocaulis
Family: Cactaceae
Plant Description: Stems upright, cylindric, forming bushes 30-180 cm high, variable spine length. Leaves very small falling away early in year. Flowers radial up to 2.5 cm broad, sepals and petals numerous, intergrading; petals greenish to yellow or bronze. Fruits red.
Plant Trivia: Fruit often red at Christmas time. This plant is unusual in that stems often branch from the fruit.
Field Identification: Only cylindrical, jointed stem cactus
Occurrence: Common on various soils in brushy thickets, openings, and prairies
Bloom Period: July-August
Plant Use: Fruit are eaten by Rio Grande Turkey; all parts browsed by White-tailed deer. Cactus wrens will nest in large clumps of this cactus.
Key to Genera if needed:
stxflora 