Opuntia hyptiacantha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Opuntia hyptiacantha |
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Opuntia
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| Species: |
hyptiacantha
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Opuntia hyptiacantha is a type of cactus plant. It belongs to the Cactaceae family, which includes all cacti. This plant is native to Mexico. You can find it growing in several Mexican states, including Durango, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, and the State of Mexico.
Contents
Discovering the Nopal Cascarón Cactus
This cactus is known as a tree-like plant. It can grow quite tall, from about 1.5 to 5 meters (that's like 5 to 16 feet!). It has branches that spread out, sometimes forming a wide top almost 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) across.
What Does This Cactus Look Like?
The Opuntia hyptiacantha has a clear trunk, which can be up to 2 meters tall and 20 centimeters wide. Its trunk is usually grayish to black and has spines. The bark on the trunk often has wavy, scale-like patterns.
The flat, paddle-shaped parts of the cactus are called cladodes. These are like the "leaves" of the cactus. They are quite large, measuring about 22 to 35 centimeters long and 15 to 25 centimeters wide. They are usually bright greenish-yellow to dark green-blue and have a white, waxy coating that makes them look frosted.
The cactus has small, raised spots called areoles. These are where the spines and tiny, barbed bristles (called glochids) grow. The spines are usually 3 to 8 centimeters long. They are straight, spread out, and are white with a yellowish tip.
Flowers and Fruit of the Cactus
The flowers of Opuntia hyptiacantha are yellow and quite large, about 9.5 centimeters long and 9 centimeters wide when fully open.
After the flowers, the cactus produces fruits. These fruits are round to oval-shaped and can be light red to a deep red color. They have a thick skin and are known to be a bit sour. The fruits also have small, yellow spines that fall off easily. The inside of the fruit is red. This type of fruit is sometimes called a "xoconostle" in Mexico.
Where Does This Cactus Grow?
Opuntia hyptiacantha can be found in different climates across Mexico. It often grows in areas with a "wet and dry" climate, meaning there's a rainy season and a dry season. Some places where it lives are quite dry, like deserts, while others are more temperate with wet summers and dry winters.
This cactus can also grow in cooler, more humid areas, especially in central Mexico. The average temperature where it lives ranges from 20 to 29 degrees Celsius (about 68 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit). It gets about 300 to 1800 millimeters of rain each year.
This plant prefers to grow in volcanic and rocky soils. You can find it from sea level up to about 1900 meters (over 6,200 feet) high.
Gallery
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Opuntia hyptiacantha flower
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Opuntia hyptiacantha
See also
In Spanish: Nopal cascarón para niños
