Opuntia microdasys subs. rufida f. minima

It is an extremely particular cactus with a compact and very suggestive habit: it has a branched stem, consisting of oval blades, called cladodes (which due to their shape make the plant got a nickname of the "rabbit-eared cactus"), each with innumerable microscopic spines, similar to bristles, of colors, that can vary from pure white to brownish-red. Although they seem to be harmless, due to the almost hairy appearance, in reality these spines are extremely sharp and dangerous! With growth, in nature this cactus gives life to thick branched bushes, which can reach up to one meter in height: a real beauty, amplified even more in summer, when large, usually yellow, cup-shaped flowers bloom.