Opuntia fragilis the others, rarely an inch in length: flowers greenish yellow, 1-1¼ inches wide: fruit ovate to subglobose. with few spines or bristles, mostly sterile, an inch or less long; seeds few and large. Rocky Mountain region from Canada to New Mexico. Opuntia fragilis Opuntia fragilis, known by the common names brittle pricklypear and little prickly pear, is a prickly pear cactus native to much of western North America as well as some eastern states such as Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. It occurs in several Canadian provinces. It is known from farther north than any other cactus, occurring at as
Opuntia ficus-indica the wild origin of "O. ficus-indica" is likely to have been in Mexico due to the fact that its close genetic relatives are found in central Mexico. "Opuntia ficus-indica" is polyploid, hermaphrodite and autogamous. As "Opuntia" species grow in semi-arid environments, the main limiting factor in their environment is water. They have developed a number of adaptations to dry conditions, notably succulence. The perennial shrub "Opuntia ficus-indica" can grow up to 3-5m height, with thick, succulent and oblong to spatulate stems called cladodes. It has a water-repellent and sun-reflecting waxy epidermis. Cladodes that are 1–2 years old produce flowers, the