Coastal Prickly Pear (Opuntia littoralis) 🌵
Coastal prickly pear is native to Southern California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats. Each pad has thick round spines and yellow flowers that change color as it ages. Both the pads and fruits of this species are edible and are packed with nutrients. The flowers are an excellent pollen source for our native bees- can you spot the bee? The coastal prickly pear often grows in dense clumps, providing a well protected nesting area for a variety of wildlife.
This cactus is the main species of our cactus scrub restoration effort at El Monte Ecological Preserve, as it is a favored nesting habitat for the Coastal Cactus Wren, a species of special concern. Just after two years of planting Coastal Prickly pear to El Monte, we’ve spotted an abundance of biodiversity, including the Coastal Cactus Wren!
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