Down in the Inner Canyon above the Colorado River, desert prickly pear is one of the dominant plants. In April, most of the clusters were in bloom.

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In the Kamloops area, the prickly pears are lower and smaller and the flowers are a pale yellow. These were bright and colorful in the rocky landscape.

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They are widespread in Western North America, from BC to Mexico. Early people used them as food source and they are still used for jellies and fermenting into a liquor. They have spread to Australia, South Africa, and other parts of the world as an invasive plant. In scrub areas of Kauai near the ocean thet can be found in the bush. Many of us have pulled out the needles out of our legs. In the Kamloops area, it is common to kick up a piece into our calves. Pretty in bloom, but a nuisance plant otherwise.