Santa Rita Prickly Pear Cactus

I'll have to change them later...I think I'll look for other purple cacti in my stock...I do see the few spines on the 3rd...missed them first look!! ;-)
Thanks for your help!

I think you're right; your first and third pictures are Purple PP, and your second and 4th are Santa Rita!

Ava, I may have different sub-species...my first pic has the long spines on the edges, but the next 3 do not...and the color does look a bit different in each...these were samples all over the area, some cultivated, some wild...

Oh dear! in looking further into this cactus (and my spotting too), I found this, "The similar Purple Pricklypear has flowers with red at the base of the tepals and usually has spines, mainly at the top edge of the stem pads." http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/176... Yours and mine both have spines mainly at the top edge of the pads, so I think we have macrocentra.

The pads of this cactus emerge in a mint green color, and then turn to this lovely purple and remain that way.

Thanks Mary...me neither...I don't know if maybe they get purple when they get older...or maybe more sun? I should probably read up on it! ;-)

Wonderful spot, had no idea that cacti came in purple!

Thanks! I'll change the name...there are so many types! Yours are beautiful in bloom! We saw lots of different cacti almost ready to bloom...I would love to see the desert again later in the spring when more things are blooming. I think it was just a bit too early!

This is called a Santa Rita Prickly Pear. Here's a reference and Latin name http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/723...