This colorful cactus is highly ornamental and makes a great showing in hot spots or pots. Its flat, fleshy pads, which are shaped like large leaves, are actually modified stems that store water and produce spectacular flowers. The pads turn purplish red in cold weather. The flowers, which are yellow with red centers, bloom in the spring. The fruit can come in many different colors, but is mostly red and purple in the U.S. The Prickly Pear is covered with barbed spines, so wear gloves and use tools to harvest and prepare. Its fruit, leaves, and flowers have been a staple of the Mexican diet for thousands of years.