Opuntias grow with water, right temperatures, right soil and sufficent attention.
They show a remarkable abilty to come back from cold, scorching heat or neglect. But if you treat them well, they will surprise you with growth, flowers and some more growth.

Opuntias grow with water, right temperatures, right soil and sufficent attention.
They show a remarkable abilty to come back from cold, scorching heat or neglect. But if you treat them well, they will surprise you with growth, flowers and some more growth.

Opuntia macrorhiza (116)

This form has watermelon coloured flowers. Spines are white, and spread over the whole pad.

Opuntia macrorhiza var grandiflora (121)

This form comes from Lafayette TX. It has very thin pads, and always looks very dehydrated at the end of the winter.
The plant has no spines, but a lot of glochids.

Opuntia macrorhiza Elsworth Kansas

This form comes from Kansas, and is supposedly very hardy.
Few spines, lots of glochids, and yellow flowesr with a substantial amount of rd in the base.

Opuntia macrorhiza (76)

This form has very pale stigma's, and could be the real macrorhiza.
Nice, apricot-orange flowers and quite some spines (the darker plant in the foreground is something different, and hasn't flowered yet).

Opuntia macrorhiza nova DJF 1441 Alberquerque NM(219)

This form has yellow flowers with a bit of orange at the base.

Opuntia macrorhiza Montgomery, Kansas(98)

This form has yellow flowers with very pale stigma's.

Opuntia macrorhiza sculpted fl. (222)

This form has purplish flowers and white, stif spines. Might be the same as "Viola".

Opuntia macrorhiza Nashville, TN (504)

This form has very nice yellow flowers with a red center.

Opuntia macrorhiza Kenton OK (452)

This form has nice pink-purple flowers with lighter edges (sometimes even white).

Opuntia macrorhiza Pueblitos

This form has very nice yellow flowers with a very pale stigma. True macrorhiza.

Opuntia macrorhiza "Bochum" (376)

This form has nice yellow flowers with a reddish throat with a very pale stigma. The flowers fade into a light orange with a darker red base and increase in size! Possibly true macrorhiza.

Opuntia macrorhiza Kansas

This form has nice pink-red flowers with a white stigma. Long stiff spines.

Opuntia macrorhiza Elsworth County Kansas

This form has nice good sized pale yellow flowers with pink-red centers and a white stigma. Few spines.

Opuntia macrorhiza "Ohio" (43)

This form has very nice pinkish cream flowers with a red throat. This red throat can be bigger or smaller, depending on growing conditions, temperatures or nutrients. I've seen photo's on the internet when the red was covering most of the flower, leaving only the edge of the petals pinkish-cream. Few spines.

Opuntia macrorhiza Washita Ok

This form has yellow flowers with a maroon center. Few spines.

Opuntia macrorhiza grows in a huge are in the USA, and comes in various shapes and flower colours. It is involved in natural hybrids where it encounteres other species, so it is hard to tell when a plant is a hybrid or not. True macrorhiza tend to have pale stigma's.