Corralitas Drive: Mission Cactus

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 24, 2014.  Mission Cactus, scattered throughout the Red Car Neighborhood, is bursting with fruit, but watch out for those spikes.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Although it's non-native, Optuntia ficus-indica is drought-tolerant, defensive landscaping.  The large pads store water which also makes it fire resistant.