Missouri Department of Conservation

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Desert Dweller

Prickly pear cactus blooms from May to July in dry areas, including glades, roadsides and open hillsides, in south and central Missouri. What looks like paddle-shaped leaves on the plant are actually thick stems. Prickly pear's tiny leaves, guarded by spines and hairlike bristles, are distributed over the stem's surface. -- Jim Rathert