Opuntia aurea aka Golden Prickly Pear

Opuntia aurea is a cactus in the family Cactaceae. Kew places its native range in southern Utah and northern Arizona. It grows in desert or dry shrubland within that range. The RHS lists it as non-native to Britain and Ireland. An older name is Opuntia basilaris var. aurea. The RHS now accepts Opuntia aurea as the species name.

This plant forms low, broad clumps with a shrubby outline. Virginia Tech gives a height of 1.5 feet [0.46 metres]. Clumps can reach 4 feet [1.22 metres] across. The width is thus much greater than the height. Its stems consist of broad, flat segments joined together. Each segment has an oval to round shape. These flat joints give the plant its beaver-tail appearance. The stems are gray-green rather than bright green. Each joint can reach 0.5 feet [0.15 metres] long. Joints measure less than 0.083 feet [0.025 metres] thick.

The reduced leaves take the form of spines. Yet the plant often lacks those spines. Where present, a spine usually stands alone rather than in a group. The areoles sit about 0.125 feet [0.038 metres] apart. The broad stem joints remain clear features even without spines. A lack of spines should not be read as proof of safety. The supplied sources give no species-level account of toxicity. Nor do they establish whether any part is edible.

Flowers appear from late spring into early summer. They grow along the edges of the stem joints. Blooms may be yellow or pink, rather than one fixed color. Each flower spans about 0.167 feet [0.051 metres]. Fleshy fruits follow and ripen in late summer. They have a barrel-like shape and lack spines. Their color ranges from tan to gray at maturity. Each fruit measures about 0.083 feet [0.025 metres]. This extends the plant's seasonal change beyond its flowering period.

Its low form and broad pads define its appearance. Flowers add color above the gray-green stems during the bloom season. Its native habitat gives context, but not a full growing guide. The supplied evidence gives no tested garden hardiness range. It also leaves soil, watering, and light needs unresolved. No species-specific pest or disease problems appear in these sources.