Consolea rubescens (Salm-Dyck ex DC.) Lem.

Road kill cactus, (Consolea rubescens, Opuntia rubescens, Opuntia guanicana, Conso, sour pricklypear

These cacti are natives of the Lesser Antilles, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. They are not found in the wild in continental North America. The name “road kill cactus” is due to the pads, which look squished and roughened, as though someone drove over them.

Plants: These tree-like cacti can reach 20′ (6 m) and 6″ (15 cm) in diameter. Lower trunks are nearly round, becoming somewhat more flattened higher. Spine clusters may be present; if so, they are up to 3″ (8 cm) long. Stem segments at the top are flat, covered with little bumps, and up to 10″ (25 cm) long. Paddles can be lanceolate, oblong, or elliptic, and are up to 1½′ (50 cm) long. If spines are present, they are very thin, ⅜–2″ (1–6 cm) long.

Flowers: Red to orange to yellow, and up to 2″ (6 cm) long.

Fruits: Roughly oval-shaped, and up to 3″ (8 cm) around.

Habitats: Along the sandy coasts of the Lesser Antilles, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Online References:

References:

Consolea rubescens description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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