CACTACEAE

Opuntia leptocaulis

Common Name:  Pencil cactus, Cholla, Tasajillo

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Opuntia leptocaulis fruit.JPG (40913 bytes)
stems and fruit fruits--How on Earth can these fruits be growing new stems?  Because these fruits are typically ripe during the winter, Opuntia leptocaulis is sometimes called Christmas cholla.

Opuntia leptocaulis newgrowth.jpg (21829 bytes)
stems--members of the genus Opuntia that have cylindrical stems (rather than flattened stems, as in prickly-pears) are commonly called chollas (pronounced "choya") new growth in Spring--these new pads are covered with young leaves, which will fall off once the pads fully expand

succulent leaves in Spring--also notice the spines developin above each young leaf habit--Opuntia leptocaulis can become very woody with age (the woody shrub in the center of the picture)!

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