Beavertail in bloom

Along the Horsethief Canyon designated vehicle route in the Piper Mountain Wilderness, north of Death Valley, California. Beavertail (Opuntia basilaris) is a type of prickly pear cactus where the thorns are isolated in small clumps, leaving big flat blades like a beaver's tail. It was a staple of the local Native Americans and is also used in traditional Mexican cooking. You can often find the blades in the Hispanic foods section of supermarkets in the US Southwest.