Bloomipedia
Grassland pricklypear (Opuntia cymochila)
Photo: Karen Guin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Grassland pricklypear

Opuntia cymochila

Grassland pricklypear (Opuntia cymochila) is a shrub in the Cactaceae family, native in the lower 48 states.

Native in the lower 48

Grassland pricklypear is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

6states where USDA records it
285SD sightings*
1,509U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: South Dakota

Quick look

Opuntia tortispina is a species of flowering plant in the family Cactaceae, native to the central United States. It was first described in 1856.

  • It belongs to the Cactaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 285 research-grade sightings of it in South Dakota, ranking #46 among the 126 flowers on our South Dakota list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (30 records)

There are only a handful of South Dakota flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe has no South Dakota rank for it.
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.

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 grassland pricklypear in 6 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

Names, range and relatives

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, Golden 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 South Dakota flowers

Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha)

Plains pricklypear

Opuntia polyacantha

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in SD
Brittle pricklypear (Opuntia fragilis)

Brittle pricklypear

Opuntia fragilis

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in SD
Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta)

Hoary vervain

Verbena stricta

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in SD

Sources