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Perennials, Tropicals > Opuntia > Opuntia versicolor > Opuntia versicolor

Opuntia versicolor


Staghorn Cholla




Origin:  Arizona, United States of America.
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Opuntia
Species
versicolor
Category
Perennials, Tropicals
Synonyms
Cylindropuntia versicolor
Height
1-2.5 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
General Description
A beautiful grey-green and purple low spreading shrub or small tree with prominent tubercles and large stunning flowers in a variety of colours.
Cultivation
Deep sandy soils.
Habitat
Canyons, washes and valleys in the desert at an altitude of 600-900 m. Commonly found in the Arizona Desert.
Leaf Description
Conic-cylindroid leaves 19 mm long. Spines are a reddish or grey colour, 7-10 per areole and spread in all directions, 0.6-1.5 cm in length.
Flower Description
Large flowers, 3-5.5 cm in diameter, a variety of colours; red, lavender, magenta, rose-purple, yellow, green, bronze, brown or orange. Red, green, lavender, purple or chocolate filaments, 6 mm in length and yellow anthers 1.5 mm long.
Fruit Description
Usually green however can have a purple, lavender or red hue, fleshy, spineless, obovoid, 2.5-4.5 cm in length and 2 cm in diameter.
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