Large Round-leaved Prickly Pear
Opuntia spinulifera
NEMBA category
English: Large Round-leaved Prickly Pear, Saucepan Cactus
Afrikaans: Blouturksvy, Blouturksvyboom, Groot Rondeblaarturksvy, Rondbladturksvy, Rondebladturksvy
Venda: Makonde
Spiny, much-branched succulent shrub up to 3 metres high with stem sections (cladodes) flattened,
glaucous-green and almost round, 20–40 cm across.
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Origins: Mexico
Overall Appearance: A large, tree-like cactus with thick, rounded stems (cladodes) that resemble leaves. It can grow up to 3 meters tall.
Leaves: The "leaves" are actually flattened stems (cladodes) that are almost round in shape and typically 20-40 cm in diameter. The glaucous-green cladodes are covered in spines that grow from sunken, close-set areoles, which are buds on the stem. The fixed spines mostly deflexed downwards, in groups of 3–6, of varying lengths up to 2 cm long, in a regular subspiral arrangement. The smaller, barbed, and hairlike spines are called glochids and are difficult to remove.
Flowers: Yellow, with a cup-shaped calyx tube 2.5 cm long are densely covered by areoles containing bristles around the mouth. Typically from November to December.
Fruit: Yellow, small berries ± 2.5 cm long.
Edible Parts: The fruits are edible when ripe and can be eaten fresh or cooked. The young cladodes can also be eaten after removing the spines.
Poisonous Parts: The spines and glochids can cause irritation and pain if they penetrate the skin.
Uses: The fruits are used to make jams, jellies, and juices. The cladodes can be used as fodder for livestock. It is sometimes used as a hedge or ornamental plant.
Attracts:
Birds: Many bird species, including doves, pigeons, and parrots, eat the fruits.
Insects: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are attracted to the flowers.
Mammals: Springhares and porcupines eat the cladodes.
Invades: Savanna, grassland
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