DESCRIPTION

Eve's Pin or Eve's needle is a cactus with a base of a small tree, branches and cylindrical stems of 8 cm in diameter. The surface of its stems is covered in flatten bumps with one or two yellow spines. Cylindrical leaves that appear at the end of the stems are formed in spring and fall down at the beginning of winter. Spines form clusters that come from areoles. Generally speaking, there are not more than one or two spines, which are robust, light yellow and upright. They are up to 8 cm long. This plan has round flatten bumps, which has long semi-cylindrical fleshy rudimentary leaves, which are 12 cm long and rather tough. Its flower is red on the outside and orangey on the inside. They appear on bigger specimens.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

This plant is a native of South America, above all Peru and Ecuador. It is commonly used as ornamental plant. It has been introduced to the Mediterranean Region in order to make impassable hedges, but it become invasive in coastal towns and in Iberian inland. These plants prefer being in sun and cannot bear temperatures below 10ºC (50ºF). They adapt well to the lack of water.

HOW THEY LIVE

This species blossoms during the second half of spring and in summer. It has asexual reproduction by the whole or broken stems which easily create roots, and sexual reproduction through seeds which they produce a lot. These seeds are spread by animals and can be germinative for a long time. Even its dry fruit can make roots and grow new stems.

WHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN IN MÁLAGA

Eve's Pins have been introduced to Málaga Coast as ornamental species due to their beautiful flowers and low maintenance. This is why they can hardly be found on the beaches close to public or private gardens, above all on the western coast where ornamental gardens are more common.

INTERESTING FACTS

When this species grows in dry areas it wins the battle against native plants and creates dense colonies which harm natural regeneration, above all in areas that have gone through more changes. It fights other native species such as mastic trees (Pistacia lentiscus), European fan palms (Chamaerops humilis), bridal brooms or bridal veil brooms (Retama monosperma) and Mediterranean junipers (Juniperusturbinata). Its tough spines can harm animals too.

SIMILAR SPECIES

There are many species from the genus Austrocylindropuntia that the above species can be confused with in the Province of Málaga, but it is most difficult to tell apart from  the Indian fig opuntia(Opuntiaficus-indica), even though it does not have cylindrical stems.