I’m not sure these photos of are the same exact prickly pear cactus but I do know I took them in the same 50-square-foot area earlier this year. I never intended to make comparison photos — I just noticed, after I took the fall version (on the right), that they were incredibly similar. I like prickly pear blossoms and love the fruits. The photo on the left was taken in early June; the photo on the right just a little over 3 months later, in late September. What a dramatic example of the difference between spring and fall!