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Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm.

Cactus-apple

Native records: 12 botanical areas

Arizona, California, Louisiana, 9 more areas

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Opuntia engelmannii

A succulent shrub of temperate climates. Native to United States, Mexico.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Andorra

    • SpainIntroduced

  • Armenia

    • TranscaucasusIntroduced

  • Australia

    • South AustraliaIntroduced
    • VictoriaIntroduced
    • Western AustraliaIntroduced

  • Azerbaijan

    • TranscaucasusIntroduced

  • Bulgaria

    • BulgariaIntroduced

  • Georgia

    • TranscaucasusIntroduced

  • Gibraltar

    • SpainIntroduced

  • Holy See

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • Italy

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico CentralNative
    • Mexico GulfNative
    • Mexico NortheastNative
    • Mexico NorthwestNative
    • Mexico SouthwestNative

  • San Marino

    • ItalyIntroduced

  • South Africa

    • Cape ProvincesIntroduced
    • Free StateIntroduced

  • Spain

    • BalearesIntroduced
    • Canary Is.Introduced
    • SpainIntroduced

  • Tunisia

    • TunisiaIntroduced

  • United States of America

    • ArizonaNative
    • CaliforniaNative
    • LouisianaNative
    • MississippiIntroduced
    • NevadaNative
    • New MexicoNative
    • North CarolinaIntroduced
    • South CarolinaIntroduced
    • TexasNative
    • UtahNative
    • VirginiaIntroduced

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • BWk Arid, desert, cold
  • Csa Temperate, dry summer, hot summer
  • Csb Temperate, dry summer, warm summer
  • Dfb Cold, no dry season, warm summer
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer
  • Dsb Cold, dry summer, warm summer

The same climate occurs in 245 areas worldwide, 218 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Opuntia engelmannii is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.226, left column, line 4

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Cactus-apple、Cow Tongue Prickly Pear、Cow's Tongue Cactus

Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Opuntia

Other species in Opuntia

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Andorra · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Armenia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Australia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Azerbaijan · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bulgaria · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Spain · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Georgia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Gibraltar · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Italy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    San Marino · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Tunisia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Holy See · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    South Africa · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information