Joseph’s Coat Cactus

Opuntia Monacantha, more commonly known as Barbary fig, cochineal prickly pear or drooping prickly pear, is native to South America.

It is an erect fleshy succulent plant that can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) tall. Its big trunk grows flat round-shaped branches at the top with drooping upper branches. Both its trunks and branches have multiple pointy spines of about 1-3 inches (3-7 cm) long that might grow in groups of 2 or 3. Its leaves are small and shed annually.

Opuntia Monacantha produces showy yellow or orange red flowers from late spring to early autumn. Its fruits are green when immature and turn into fleshy purple red berries as they age.