Cacti Identification - Denver Botanic Gardens
Cacti Identification - Denver Botanic Gardens
Cacti Identification - Denver Botanic Gardens
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<strong>Cacti</strong> of the Dryland Mesa Garden<br />
Can you find all of these cacti? If you aren’t sure which cactus is which, use the <strong>Identification</strong> Guide<br />
on the back side. Be careful because the guide does not contain all of the cacti found in the garden.<br />
Fishhook Cactus<br />
Ferocactus wislizeni<br />
Purple Prickly Pear<br />
Opuntia violacea<br />
Engelmann’s Hedgehog Cactus<br />
Echinocereus engelmannii<br />
Fendler’s Hedgehog Cactus<br />
Echinocereus fendleri<br />
Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus<br />
Echinocereus pectinatus<br />
Spiny Cholla<br />
Cylindropuntia spinosior<br />
Engelmann’s Prickly Pear<br />
Opuntia engelmannii<br />
Silver Cholla<br />
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa<br />
Cream Pincushion<br />
Mammillaria gummifera<br />
Beavertail Prickly Pear<br />
Opuntia basilaris<br />
Diamond Cholla<br />
Cylindropuntia ramosissima<br />
Note: The <strong>Identification</strong> Guide uses images from and is an adaptation of “Easy Field Guide to Common Desert Cactus” by Richard and Sharon Nelson<br />
Sprawling Prickly Pear<br />
Opuntian phaeacantha
<strong>Identification</strong> Guide to the <strong>Cacti</strong> of the Dryland Mesa Garden<br />
Are the stems flattened or round?<br />
round<br />
flattened<br />
Does the stem have continuous<br />
ribs that run from top to bottom?<br />
Do the stems have long spines?<br />
yes<br />
no<br />
no<br />
yes<br />
What is the diameter<br />
of the stem?<br />
Does the cactus<br />
have branches?<br />
Beavertail<br />
Prickly Pear<br />
What color are the stems?<br />
More than 5” Less than 4” no yes<br />
purple<br />
another color<br />
Fishhook<br />
Barrel Cactus<br />
Do the stems have bands<br />
of different colors?<br />
Cream<br />
Pincushion<br />
Is the stem covered with<br />
diamond-shaped scales?<br />
Purple Prickly<br />
Pear<br />
Does the plant grow low to<br />
the ground or grow upright?<br />
no<br />
yes<br />
yes<br />
no<br />
Low to ground<br />
upright<br />
Rainbow<br />
Hedgehog Cactus<br />
Is the main central spine<br />
flattened and twisted?<br />
Diamond Cholla<br />
Are the spines long?<br />
Sprawling<br />
Prickly Pear<br />
Engelmann’s<br />
Prickly Pear<br />
yes<br />
no<br />
yes<br />
no<br />
Engelmann’s Hedgehog<br />
Cactus<br />
Fendler’s Hedgehog<br />
Cactus<br />
Silver Cholla<br />
Cane Cholla