Cylindropuntia imbricata

Read about Cylindropuntia imbricata in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Opuntia imbricata, DC. A wide-spreading, irregularly branching shrub, rarely more than 5 ft. high, the trunk and larger branches with dark, rough, unarmed bark: joints frequently 12-14 in. long and 1-1¼ in- thick, with very prominent long, cristate tubercles: areoles with yellowish wool and straw-colored bristles; spines 2-5, of variable length, 1 in. or less long, loosely sheathed, white to straw- colored: fls. 2-2½ in. wide, light purple: fr. unarmed, depressed - globose, with large tubercles, yellow, 1-1½ in. diam.. adhering to the plant and drying on the sts. during the winter. Texas and N. Mex. —Usually confused with O. arborcscens, from which it differs hi its smaller growth, different habit, much longer joints, larger, more prominent tubercles, and fewer spines. The fr. and fl. also show marked differences. 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 It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article.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.