Dog cactus, Dog cholla, Clavellina
Opuntia schottii Engelm.
Cactaceae (Cactus family)
Description
Also called dog pear or clavellina, this plant is a mat-forming cactus, with the clumps reaching 4 to 6 inches tall and 3 to 9 feet in diameter. Dog cactus is an extreme nuisance, as its stems break off when stepped on or brushed against by livestock, wildlife or people.
The joints of this plant are  to 2› inches long, with many 1- to 2-inch-long spines that are brownish or gray tinged with pink or red. The spines are sheathed (encased with a protective covering) only at the tips.
The flowers and fruit are yellow; the fruit is fleshy and expanded upward.
The forage value of dog cactus is poor for livestock and wildlife.
Habitat
This plant grows in sandy to sandy loam soils at elevations of 900 to 4,500 feet in West Texas and New Mexico.
Images
Plant Characteristics
Flower Color: Yellow
Seed Type: Fruit/Berry
Duration: Perennial
Stem Texture: Prickly, Spiny, or Thorny
Growth Habit: Shrub (Woody)
Season: Evergreen
Distribution
: 05 - Cross Timbers and Prairies, 06 - South Texas Plains, 07 - Edwards Plateau, 10 - Trans-Pecos
Distributions
Distribution refers to the ecological region in Texas that a plant has been found. You can also view a clickable map.
Book: Brush and Weeds of Texas Rangelands (B-6208)
Collection: Brush and Weeds
