species 2,057 observations
Blind Pricklypear
Opuntia rufida
Field notes
Opuntia rufida is a species of prickly pear cactus native to southwestern Texas and northern Mexico, where it grows on rocky slopes. The species makes up for its total lack of spines with a profusion of red-brown glochids. The common name blind prickly pear or cow blinder comes from the fact that the glochids may be carried away by the wind and blind animals.
The plant is closely related to Opuntia microdasys, and is sometimes taken as its subspecies, O. m. subsp. rufida.
A commonly sold cultivar is Opuntia Rufida Minima Monstrose
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Caterpillars
Moths and butterflies raised on it
Opuntia Leaf Miner, Scale-feeding Snout, Staghorn Cholla Moth, Desert Bantam
5
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Specialist bees
Bees whose young are raised on the pollen of it
Orange-tipped Woodborer
1
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Plant eaters
Animals that feed on it
Curve-billed Thrasher, Cactus Coreid Bug, White-winged Dove, Northern Mockingbird
9
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Flower visitors
Pollinators and other flower visitors
Pipevine Swallowtail, Kern's Flower Scarab, American Bumble Bee, Sonoran Bumble Bee
20
Range
Greener is more native, amber more introduced; paler is less certain. How this was decided
Key traits
- Layer
- Shrubs
- Light
- Full sun Part shade
- Moisture
- Dry
- Water use
- Low
From USDA PLANTS and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.