Qpunti a arborescens is a 3 hrub attaining 5-6 feet in 
height. It has cylindrical branches with each seasons 
growth 5-6 inches long. Each spine i3 co"C red with a 
straw colored sheath that later corae3 off leaving the 
spine clean. Therefore this is a ‘’choHa* as none of 
the prickly pears have thi3 spine sheath. Larger pk nts 
flower freely and present a raa3S of Large purple flowers. 
The fruit which foluows is bright yellow and an inch in 
diameter. It reroain3 attached and in full color a year 
or more. Thi3 is an exceLLent cactus, showy as large 
plants but attractive also as a smaller potted plant. 
Technically the slight tubercule3 are close set. Each 
tubercuLe has 8-30 3 pines with 1-8 considerably longer 30 
that 3pines bristle in every direction. Fruit is tuber-' 
culed and spiny. Seeds are Large and v/hitish. 
Qpunti a polycantha ,Prickly Pear. This is naturally a 
creeping plant 6 inches high aid several feet in diameter. 
It is mrds up of series of flat oval stems inches 
Long. There are several downward pointing small white 
spines and several long brown one3. The large flowers 
are clear yellow.This is undoubtedly the hardiest cactus 
found from hot deserts to almost the Canadian Border. 
Technically thi3 species i3 distinguished by heavy spines, 
yellow flowers followed by a dry fruit .in which the 
whitish seeds are so crowded as to be out of shape. 
Q puntia humifusa is similiar to the above with orange- 
yellow flowers. It has fewer 3pines and the color is a 
bright green, unlike other cacti. This cactus i 3 natural¬ 
ly a lover of a more humid climate than ours and is hardy. 
Technically in addition to the above the species is dis¬ 
tinguished by the fruit. This is purple,fleshy, and 
filled with a purple pulp in which the seeds are embedded. 
The fruit is quite edible. 
Qpuntia rhodantha is almost indistinguishable from 0. 
p olycanthg except in fLower. The flower is purple red with 
red stamens and is very attractive. Spines are always 
white, never brown like Q. jolycantha. 
