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SNAPPED: Prickly pear cactus ready to bloom

Marina Knight
Jul 5, 2024

Photo: TownLift // Marina Knight

PARK CITY, Utah – A Prickly Pear cactus is almost ready to bloom, where it grows on a warm, dry, south-facing slope on Ecker Hill.

Prickly pear cacti are quite adaptable and can grow at various elevations. While they are commonly found in low desert areas, it is not particularly rare to find them growing at elevations of 6,500 feet or even higher, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

In fact, certain species of prickly pear cacti are specifically adapted to higher elevations and can be found in mountainous regions across the southwestern United States. For example, the plains prickly pear can be found at elevations up to 7,000 feet or more.

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By: Marina Knight

Contact: marina@townlift.com

Marina Knight began her career in journalism working for The Stowe Reporter in 2003, where she was a staff writer and later the publication’s Web Editor. She covered the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and 2010, and has worked as a freelance writer covering outdoor topics as well as art criticism. Most recently, Knight was Editor-in-Chief of SkiRacing.com. She has won multiple awards from the New England Newspaper Association for environmental reporting, feature writing and art criticism. She lives with her family in Park City. In her free time you’ll find her in the mountains

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