Appearance
"Opuntia macrocentra" is an upright spreading shrub, usually growing from 30–60 centimetres tall. Individuals occasionally reach 1 metre in height. The stem is blue-gray, blue-green, or purplish in color. The purple pad color is the most intense at the edges of the pad or around the areoles. The purple color comes from the production of a betalain pigment that becomes more evident as the plant is stressed by drought or cold.
Naming
Other common names for this plant include black-spined pricklypear, long-spine prickly pear, purple pricklypear, and redeye prickly pear.Distribution
Native populations of "Opuntia macrocentra" are found in Arizona, New Mexico, Southwestern Texas, and Northwestern Mexico.This cactus is a slow growing perennial that inhabits a wide range of soil substrates and habitat types. It can be found below the elevation of 5000 ft in areas of sandy desert flats, rocky hills, or valley grasslands.
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