A portion of the southwestern border of San Luis Obispo County serves as the northern border of the Santa Maria River. This area is located in an area known as Nipomo, California.
While currently now a series of housing tracts, some 35 years ago it was essentially virgin land on which an extensive Coastal Sage Plant Community existed. Dominated by members of the Sunflower Family found often overshadowed by taller and bushier plants, plants of Opuntia littoralis could be found.
I was fortunate enough to have discovered this area which came to be called Grand View Mesa as it had a non-paved road of sand, ideal for use of a 4-wheel drive vehicle. In the process of visiting the area to drive in 4-wheel drive I made a startling discovery.
The video found on the link below provides some images and the basic story of that discovery and its consequences for me and a native Opuntia species.
Opuntia littoralis