Prickly Pear Cactus

Description:

Prickly pears typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes (also called platyclades) that are armed with two kinds of spines; large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike prickles called glochids, that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense, tangled structures.

Habitat:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia

Notes:

New growth seen on the prickly pear cactus. The new buds remind me of small pineapple tops.