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Eastern prickly pear is the commonest of three prickly pears native to Illinois, all quite rare. Eastern prickly pear can grow to be as much as 2' tall but Jackson Park specimens rarely exceed 6". Flowers are 2-3" across consisting of numerous yellow, satiny tepals, the innermost layer with reddish-orange highlights towards the tepals bases, 50-1500 stamens with pale yellow anthers, and a single style topped with a ring of six fleshy, white stigmas. Each flower lasts a single day. Fruits are initially green but turn reddish-brown when mature; they are 1-2" long, less than 1" in diameter, and concave on the top.

Opuntia

Opuntia humifusa

Eastern prickly-pear [Blooms: Jun-Jul]