Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Read about Cylindropuntia leptocaulis in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Opuntia leptocaulis, DC. (O. frutescens, Engelm.). An erect shrub, 2-4 ft. high, with long, slender, flexible sts. branching from near the ground, and numerous lateral secondary ones, very short, usually unarmed and easily detached: joints about ⅕-¼ in. thick: areoles with short white wool and numerous reddish brown conspicuous bristles; spines usually 1, sometimes wanting, erect, stout, frequently 2 in. long, brownish or horny, with a loose yellow sheath: fls greenish yellow, ⅓-½ in. wide,, with deflexed perianth: fr. scarlet, succulent, obovate to oblong, rarely globose, ⅓-½ in. lone, frequently proliferous, armed with tufts of long, reddish brown bristles. S. W. U. S. and Sonora. Var. major, Hort., is advertised.—One of the slenderest of the opuntias. It differs from other species in that the fls. do not open until late in the afternoon. Several forms of this plant occur throughout its range, some of which have been separated as varieties. One of the most frequent of the cylindrical opuntias in cult. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.