About Opuntia macrocentra Engelm.
Opuntia macrocentra Engelm. is an upright, spreading shrub that typically grows 30 to 60 centimeters (1 to 2 feet) tall, and occasionally reaches 1 meter (1 yard) in height. Its stem ranges in color from blue-gray and blue-green to purplish; the purple coloring on the pads is most intense along the pad edges or around the areoles. This purple color comes from a betalain pigment called betacyanin, which becomes more visible when the plant experiences stress from drought or cold. Native populations of Opuntia macrocentra occur in Arizona, New Mexico, southwestern Texas, and northwestern Mexico. This slow-growing perennial cactus lives across a wide variety of soil substrates and habitat types, found below 5000 feet in elevation in sandy desert flats, rocky hills, and valley grasslands. Due to its distinctive stem and flower coloration, Opuntia macrocentra is cultivated as an ornamental plant for drought-tolerant gardens, native plant gardens, and as a potted plant. Like many other species in the Opuntia genus, the fruit of Opuntia macrocentra is edible. For conservation purposes, collection of this cactus and its fruit is restricted in some areas.
