This cactus has flat, blue-gray, spineless pads that appear fuzzy and soft, tempting people to make the mistake of touching them. Beware! The beavertail cactus is armed with many small bristles known as glochids, which are painful and very difficult to remove. The species name basilaris means “regal,” referring to the plant’s beauty when covered with large, nearly-neon pink flowers. Ants can often be found swarming the newly formed pads and flowers due to the copious amounts of nectar they produce. Native Americans traditionally used beavertail cactus for both food and medicine.