Opuntia chlorotica – “Pancake Prickly Pear”

Also Known As: Dollarjoint Prickly Pear, Pancake Cactus
Family: Cactus (Cactaceae)
Bloom Period: May-Jun
Form: Flattened round pads on upright branches; up to 7½ feet (2.25 m) tall
Habitat: Rocky areas and canyons
Leaves: 3–8 spines, up to 2 inches (5 cm) long, mostly pointing down, translucent yellow
Translation: “Opuntia” is an old Latin name used by Pliny, the Roman writer, which refers to the city of Opus where a cactus-like plant grew; “chlorotica” is Greek for “pale yellowish-green,” which describes the color of the plant.
Notes: Joints are almost perfectly round, like pancakes. The flower, which grows from the margins of the joints, is yellow and produces a red fruit
Native American Uses: The Yavapai ate the fruit.
Animal Associations: Fruits and seeds eaten by the White-Tailed Antelope Ground Squirrel, Rock Squirrel, Ring-tailed Cat and occasionally the Coyote. The pads are an important source of water for the Desert Woodrat which eats them without being injured by the spines.