About Opuntia robusta H.L.Wendl.
Opuntia robusta H.L.Wendl. most commonly grows to around 1 meter (40 inches) in height, but can reach over 3 meters (10 feet) when it has structural support. Its flattened, fleshy stem segments are round, blue-grey, and can grow up to 30 cm (1 foot) in diameter. The sharp spines on these segments reach a maximum length of 5 cm (2 inches). Yellow, stalkless flowers with fleshy bases grow along the edges of the plant's upper stem segments. After flowering, it produces barrel-shaped, fleshy fruits that are pink or purple, and up to 8 cm (3 inches) long. Populations of Opuntia robusta can be dioecious, hermaphrodite, or trioecious, meaning a population may contain male, female, and hermaphrodite individuals together.
