Opuntia aciculata
(Syn: Opuntia engelmannii var. aciculata)

A free-blooming species even when small.
 

Description: Habit: Flattened-padded succulent, forming large clumps.
Stem: Branched, up to 60-90cm tall and 100-300 cm wide, Segments obovate or partly rounded, faded and glaucous, They measure 10-12 cm. in length.
Leaves: ephemeral
Areoles : Large, closed, one next to another.
Glochids: Numerous, thin,
Spines: Acicular, of a yellowish/toasted colour, up to 3(5,5)cm.in length. Often folded.
Flower: Yellow (?), diameter 8-10 cm.  Several sources report the flowers as being 'yellow'.  But the plant in cultivation usually has bright red-orange flowers, and sometimes  the centre is greenish.  Stigma with 8-10 green lobes.
 

Cultivation: Outdoors: Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping, little or no water once established, in the green housekeep dry in winter, irrigate regularly during the growing season.
Frost Tolerance (Hardiness): - 2° -10° C  (USDA: 8-10 ).  Needs full Sun
Propagation: Herbaceous stem cuttings (Allow cut surface to callus over before planting).
 

Leaves are fusiform
and ephemeral.

Yellow/orange spines.
Glaucous epidermis.

• Isotype: (Herbarium of the The New York botanical garden NY Specimen ID: 385968)
• Image: JPEG available at The New York botanical garden
  http://scisun.nybg.org:8890/searchdb/owa/wwwcatalog......
• Collector: D. Griffiths 10300  1911
• Locality: USA Texas. Webb Co. The specific locality has been removed to protect this species from over-collection.
• Original publication: Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 29: 10. 1916.
  Verified: A. Tiehm. 1986.
• Description: Sterile
• Basionym: Opuntia aciculata

• Opuntia lindheimeri var. aciculata, Engelm. (Griffiths) Bravo, 1974.
• Opuntia engelmannii var. aciculata Salm-Dyck (Griffiths) Weniger, 1970
• Opuntia engelmannii ssp. aciculata (Griffiths) U.Guzmán, comb. et stat. nov.
• Opuntia tardospina Griffiths

Etymology: The genus name"Opuntia" refers to a Greek name used by Pliny for a diverse plant which grew in the region of the town of Opus in Greece.
The species name " Aciculata" derives from the Latin word “acicula” which means “a small pin for a headdress”, and the adjectival suffix for nouns “atus” : possessive of or likeness to something (with, shaped, made) for verb participles: a completed action, -ed
( The specific name implies: "covered with small pins").

Flowers are big and colourful

Tepals: orange-yellow  with a violet throat.
Stamens clear yellow,  stigmas green with a fat pink stylus.