Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia chlorotica)
Habitat
The prickly pear cactus Opuntia chlorotica grows most commonly in rocky areas. It also can be found on sandy flats and in partial desert grasslands. Opuntia chlorotica it can be found in the Sonora Desert and the Mojave Desert. These two deserts can be found in California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico.
Even though the Sonora desert is the wettest desert in North America, the conditions in these environments are very dry and hot. Rain fall in these areas is between 3 to 16 inches a year. The temperatures in these regions temperature ranges from 52°F in the winter and 86°F in the summer. At night the temperature can sink down to as low as 32°F, and during the day some regions of the desert the temperature can reach up to 134°F.
Opuntia chlorotica is so interesting because it is so hardy and can endure these conditions. It survives due to many different adaptations.