Cacti / Desert Succulents

Flowering Plains Prickly Pear (Opuntia polyacantha)

NPS Photo/Melissa Weih

Capulin Volcano straddles two different ecosystems, the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, and as such supports a variety of plant life. It is not uncommon to see cacti and other plants that enjoy drier environments mixed in with the pinon-juniper woodland that covers the sides of the volcano. Three different cacti species can be found growing here, although the most commonly seen cactus is the plains prickly pear (Opuntia polyacantha). Flowering in June, these prickly pear cover the top of the volcano in yellow blossoms along the rim trail. The green pads of the prickly pear cactus are actually thick modified stems with a waxy coating to prevent water loss, while the spines are modified leaves that serve to protect the plant from being eaten by animals. A small and sprawling cactus, these prickly pear adapt to the dry and rocky environment of the volcano by having a shallow root system that adsorbs water from rains quickly.

The other two cacti species found at Capulin Volano are the tulip prickly pear (Opuntia phaeacantha) and the hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus viridiflorus). The tulip prickly pear is similar to the plain prickly pear although it does have larger pads and less spines. Instead of a pad, the spines on a hedgehog cactus emanate from a small round cylinder or barrel. Hedgehog cacti gain small yellow blooms in early June that protrude from the base of their spine-covered cylindrical stem. Hidden among taller prairie grasses and volcanic rocks, a small hedgehog cactus is often hard to spot when not blooming.

 

Flowering Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca)

NPS Photo/Melissa Weih

Other succulents that can be found at Capulin Volcano include the yucca plants that dot the prairie at the base of the volcano. Two different varieties of yucca can be found here: Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca) and Spanish Bayonet (Yucca harrimaniae). These yucca are characterized by their sharp long thin leaves that branch out from a central point. Blooming in June, yucca grow a flower stalk from the center of the plant that can reach 3 feet in height with large white flowers. The young flower stalks are a favorite food of mule deer and will often not reach their full flowering before being eaten.