When a cactus moth lays its eggs on an Opuntia cactus, it creates one of nature’s most effective camouflages. The eggs emerge as what is called an “egg stick”, because they look like the cactus spine.

The Opuntia cactus in Kenya has become a thorn in the side for many residents as it slowly chokes their livelihoods. With thick leafless and fleshy stems, the Opuntia cactus, which is covered in ...

Cactus as far as the eye could see. That was the result in Australia after agriculturists introduced several species of Opuntia cactus — collectively called prickly pears — to farmland. Ranchers hoped ...

All over the desert, rain will bring one of the biggest cactus flower shows in years. Existing cactus plants in gardens and landscapes as well as in the wild will be reproducing with a vengeance after ...

Walnut Creek’s Ruth Bancroft is a national authority on drought-resistant gardening. Twice a month, she and her staff share their knowledge with readers. Q At the Ruth Bancroft Garden, I saw a prickly ...

Question: I would love to plant op-a-la-ah (not sure of spelling) cactus, the kind that looks like Mickey Mouse ears and grows red cactus pears, also known as prickly pears. Several of my neighbors ...

The cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae 'stricta' biotype is more effective as a sustainable biocontrol in the fight against the invasive common pest pear Opuntia stricta in Laikipia County, Kenya, ...

Could cactus pear become a major crop like soybeans and corn in the near future, and help provide a biofuel source, as well as a sustainable food and forage crop? According to a recently published ...