Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia monacantha): The Drooping Paddle Cactus

Opuntia monacantha, the Prickly Pear or Palma-Brava, is a large, shrubby or tree-like cactus with flattened, glossy green pads that often droop or hang pendulously, giving it a weeping habit. It has prominent areoles with one or two long, stout spines and numerous glochids. It produces yellow to orange flowers and red, edible fruits. It's a common landscape cactus in warm regions, used for hedges and fruit.