Prickly pear is the common term for many large, similar-looking cactus species with succulent stems.
Some of these plants may grow up to 7 m high and form impenetrable thickets. The stems are composed of fleshy leaf-like joints or pads which are generally flat but may be cylindrical, as in the Devil s rope pear. Each pad is capable of producing adventitious roots and forming a new plant if it falls to the ground. The plants are covered with numerous stout yellow spines. The flowers are yellow to bright orange and grow on the edge of the stem sections.