name: Plains Prickly Pear
flavor_db_name_variants: plains prickly pear
source: foodb
status: draft
food_db_id: Plains prickly pear
id: 435
name_scientific: Opuntia macrorhiza
description: Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. is a common and widespread species of cactus with the common names "Plains Prickly Pear" or "Twist-spine Prickly Pear." It is found throughout the Great Plains of the United States, from Texas to Minnesota, as well as in the desert and Rocky Mountain states from Arizona to Idaho, with sporadic populations in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. It is also reported from northern Mexico, in the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Nuevo León and San Luís Potosí. The species is cultivated as an ornamental in other locations. The species prefers dry, sandy or gravelly soils. It is one of the shorter species of the genus, rarely over 30 cm (1 foot) tall, spreading horizontally and forming large clumps. Flowers are showy and bright yellow. Fruits are red, juicy and edible.
itis_id: 19718
wikipedia_id: Opuntia_macrorhiza
picture_file_name: 443.jpg
picture_content_type: image/jpeg
picture_file_size: 71889
picture_updated_at: 2012-04-20T09:33:19.000Z
legacy_id: 470
food_group: Fruits
food_subgroup: Tropical fruits
food_type: Type 1
created_at: 2011-02-09T00:37:42.000Z
updated_at: 2019-05-14T18:05:25.000Z
creator_id: null
updater_id: null
export_to_afcdb: false
category: specific
ncbi_taxonomy_id: 1041245
export_to_foodb: true
public_id: FOOD00435