Opuntia aciculata Opuntia aciculata Opuntia aciculata, also called Chenille pricklypear, old man's whiskers, and cowboy’s red whiskers, is a perennial dicot and an attractive ornamental cactus native to Texas. It belongs to the genus "Opuntia" prickly pear cacti. It is also widespread in Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas (northern Mexico). It was reported from Nuevo León, Mexico, according to D. Weniger in 1970. The specific name "aciculata" derives from many sources: the Latin word "acicula" which means “a small pin for a headdress”, and the adjectival suffix for nouns "atus", meaning possessive of or likeness to something (with, shaped, made), while for verb participles
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