FAMOUS CACTUS GARDENS 
23 
Ferocactus gracilis 
Opuntia alcahes trimmed to show Pereskiopsis gatesii 
branches growing from fruit 
THE OPUNTIA TRIBE 
Opuntias form a large section of the Cactus Family. They are usually large and 
quick growing. Some have flat pads or joints. This type is called “Prickly Pear,” “Tuna” 
or “Platyopuntia.” Tree-like types with round cylindric branches are called “Chollas” 
(Choy-yahs), “Jumping Cactus” and “Cane Cactus.” There are minor groups of creep¬ 
ing, clustered and small, woody, branching types. 
Grusonia hamiltoniae. See Lower Cali¬ 
fornia List. 
Grusonia rosarica. See Lower California 
List. 
Grusonia santa maria. See Lower Cali¬ 
fornia List. 
Nopalea dejecta. Erect plant with large, 
drooping green ipads bearing long white 
spines.RC 25c 
Nopalea cochinilifera. Erect plants with 
large smooth, spineless pads. In the 
Canary Islands Cochineal bugs are 
grown on these plants. The bugs are 
picked off and crushed to make the 
scarlet coloring matter for lip sticks 
.RC 25c 
Opuntia alcahes. See Lower California 
List. 
O. arbuscula. Compact, bushy plant with 
round slender branches.RC 15c 
O. aurea. (Baxter 1933). A new hardy 
species from Southern Utah. A small 
plant of the Basilaris group bearing no 
spines, yellow glochids and yellow flow¬ 
ers .RC 25c 
O. basilaris. The Beaver Tail Cactus. 
Rose Tuna. Smooth, purplish, cluster¬ 
ed pads, very fine, short glochids, no 
spines, beautiful, large, magenta pink 
flower. Hardy.RC 15c 
O. bravoana. See Lower California List. 
