Prickly pear
Prickly Pear is of the Genus Opuntia, which is a cactus = hot, dry and arid
The Prickly Pear Cactus
A "prickly pear" is not actually a pear.
on a pear
A prickly pear is a cactus. There is no commensalism or mutualism.
The prickly pear provides food and home for the wood rat. In turn, the wood rat acts a pollinator for the prickly pear.
The prickly pear grows the most during the summer when monsoon rains bring moisture to a region. They grow much slower during the drier months.
No. the prickly pear is not native to Australia. It is an introduced species, and a noxious pest.
apricot prickly pear cactus
If you stuck your finger into a prickly pear cactus, you could get stuck with one of the spines. You could also possibly be bitten by a spider who likes to make their webs in the prickly pear.
It is a type of fruit