Opuntia ficus-indica (Prickly Pear)

Native to Oaxaca in Mexico, this succulent shrub or small tree is widely cultivated in arid and semiarid regions. Its broad, flattened stem segments carry out photosynthesis and store water. The plant takes in carbon dioxide mainly at night, helping reduce water loss during hot days. Its flowers are yellow or orange, and cultivated varieties produce yellow, orange, red or purple fruit.

The fruit has sweet, juicy pulp and is eaten fresh or processed into juices and preserves. In Mexico, the tender young stem segments, called nopalitos, are eaten as a vegetable. The plant is also grown as livestock forage and as a host for cochineal insects, from which the red colorant carmine is obtained. It has become invasive in South Africa. Photographed in Colombia.