Bloomipedia
Golden pricklypear (Opuntia aurea)
Photo: Arvel Hernandez via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Golden pricklypear

Opuntia aurea

Golden pricklypear (Opuntia aurea) is a shrub or small tree in the Cactaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to Utah

Golden pricklypear is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Utah it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

2states where USDA records it
1,382UT sightings*
1,429U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Utah

Quick look

Opuntia aurea is a cactus that grows in Southern Utah and possibly Northern Arizona.

  • It belongs to the Cactaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Utah. NatureServe
  • In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,382 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #33 among the 153 flowers on our Utah list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Utah, most flowering sightings come in April–June.

Flowering records by month in Utah (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (67 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G3 Vulnerable worldwide. NatureServe
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Utah.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S2 in Utah. NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Tree Cactus” (Opuntia species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records golden pricklypear in 2 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Utah.

Utah counties with USDA records: Kane, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 4 counties across 2 states; the most are in Arizona (2), Utah (2).

Other Opuntia on Bloomipedia (11): Beavertail pricklypear, Plains pricklypear, Brown-spined pricklypear, Low pricklypear, Engelmann's pricklypear, Prairie pricklypear, Brittle pricklypear, Pancake pricklypear, Florida pricklypear, Grassland pricklypear.

More from the Cactaceae family (37 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Saguaro, California barrel cactus, Fishhook barrel cactus, Christmas cholla, Silver cholla, Tree cholla, Buckhorn cholla, Teddybear cholla.

More Utah flowers

Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha)

Plains pricklypear

Opuntia polyacantha

Native

🌼 Blooms in UT: April–June
Smallflower fishhook cactus (Sclerocactus parviflorus)

Smallflower fishhook cactus

Sclerocactus parviflorus

Native

🌼 Blooms in UT: April–May
Brown-spined pricklypear (Opuntia phaeacantha)

Brown-spined pricklypear

Opuntia phaeacantha

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in UT

Sources