Cactaceae
Cactus Family
2 genera
4 species
1 subspecies and varieties
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Opuntia columbianaColumbia prickly-pear
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; south-central British Columbia to eastern Oregon, east to western and southern Idaho.
Habitat: From sagebrush plains and foothills to lower elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Opuntia fragilisbrittle prickly-pear, little prickly-pear
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Great Lakes region.
Habitat: Dry, open, often sandy soil.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Opuntia phaeacantha
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in south-central Washington, where likely intentionally introduced; California to Kansas, south to Texas.
Habitat: Rocky, disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced from southeastern U.S.
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Pediocactus nigrispinusbasalt cactus, dark-spine ball cactus, snowball cactus
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington; central Washington to southeastern Oregon, east to western Idaho.
Habitat: Lowland to montane sagebrush desert, grasslands, and coniferous forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
ssp. nigrispinus – dark-spine ball cactus