Opuntia gosseliniana natural hybrids between species. The above-mentioned taxonomic issues complicate any attempt to describe the distribution of particular varieties or species. "O. gosseliniana" is especially known from Mexico, but has been reported from Arizona. Opuntia gosseliniana Opuntia gosseliniana, commonly known as the violet pricklypear, is a species of cactus that is native to Pima County, Arizona in the United States and Baja California, Chihuahua, and Sonora in Mexico. Like most prickly pears, the pads are flat. Unlike most prickly pears, they have a violet, pink, or red tinge, hence the name. The cactus reaches mature heights of one to five feet
Opuntia ficus-indica the plants are used as fodder. In these cases, the spines need to be removed from the pads to avoid damage to the animals. Mostly, this is achieved by burning the spines off the pads. "Opuntia ficus-indica" for human and animal consumption is its water content in an arid environment, containing about 85% water as a water source for wildlife. The seeds contain 3-10% of protein and 6-13% of fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid. As the fruit contains vitamin C (containing 25–30 mg per 100g), it was once used to mitigate scurvy. "Opuntia" contains selenium. The red color of the