Opuntia leucotricha

Opuntia leucotricha is a tree-like cactus that grows up to about five metres tall. It is known in English as the arborescent pricklypear, Aaron's beard cactus and semaphore cactus, and in Spanish as duraznillo blanco and nopal blanco. The flattened pads that make up its stems, called platyclades, carry a thin fuzz of white hairs at their joints, which explains the species name and the beard comparison. The plant is endemic to Mexico, where it occurs in mountain habitats in the states of San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Guanajuato and Queretaro. Outside its native range it has become an invasive species in Florida.