Prickly Pear Cactus Blossoms

I was hiking on one of my favorite trails around Cortez, Colorado this week and came across a strange sight. There were what appeared to be low-growing Rose gardens underneath the Juniper trees. The contrast of the pink, yellow and red flowers with the dry duff and dust of the desert floor seemed surreal.

Prickly Pear Cactus flowers growing in a space between the Juniper Trees, Southwestern Colorado.

The Prickly Pear Cactus were in bloom!

The low-angle sunlight seemed to make the Prickly Pear flowers glow.

I think these Prickly Pear are Opuntia polyacantha, the Plains Prickly Pear. Given how variable Prickly Pear are, I wouldn’t swear to that species ID, though.

The flowers on these Prickly Pears change color as they get older. They seem to start as yellow flowers, and then become pink or magenta on subsequent days. I’ve not noticed this color change on other Prickly Pears.

Prickly Pear Cactus flowers in Southwestern Colorado. As far as I can tell, the flowers are yellow initially, then become reddish/pinkish as they age.

Prickly Pear flowers on a small cactus

Close-up of Prickly Pear Cactus flower

Another close-up of a Prickly Pear Cactus flower, Southwestern Colorado.

With the wet Winter and Spring that we’ve had, it’s been a glorious year so far.