Coastal Prickly Pear

Hello my name is Bella and I’m a junior at Los Altos High School. My zine focuses on the Coastal Prickly Pear (Opuntia Littoralis) and how it adapts and changes. Coastal Prickly Pear seeds are often spread by animals that eat the cactus fruit. Once the seeds reach the soil, they need plenty of sunlight and dry, sandy ground to begin germination. In the early stages, the cactus grows small green pads that will eventually branch out into a larger plant. Over time, the pads develop spines and tiny glochids to help protect the cactus. In the spring, yellow flowers bloom from the pads, standing out brightly against the desert-like landscape. These flowers later turn into red, pear-shaped fruits filled with seeds. The fruit either drops to the ground or gets eaten, and the seeds start the life cycle again.