North Carolina Wildflowers

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Cactaceae>Opuntia

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Devil's Tongue (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)
Johnston Co., NC 29 May 2005

Found in NC in open, sandy or rocky habitats. Common in the coastal plain, uncommon in the piedmont, and a few scattered mountain records exist.

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Devil's Tongue (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)
Johnston Co., NC 29 May 2005
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Devil's Tongue (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)
Thin soils over granite outcrops in Alexander Co., NC
3 July 2009

There has been confusion over the correct scientific name of this plant. One often sees it referred to as Opuntia compressa.

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Devil's Tongue (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)
Thin soils over granite outcrops in Alexander Co., NC
3 July 2009

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Devil's Tongue (Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa)
Thin soils over granite outcrops in Alexander Co., NC
3 July 2009


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com