Tiger-Pear
Opuntia aurantiaca
- Native to:
- Argentina, Uruguay
EgorovaSvetlana,Les Tanner, North West Weeds, Australia,Andrés González (www.wikidata.org),Andrés González (www.wikidata.org),Andrés González (www.wikidata.org),Andrés González (www.wikidata.org),Salchipapaconcatsup,D. Landreth & Fulton (Firm) Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection,Sargent, Charles Sprague, 1841-1927,Iowa State University. Parry, Charles Christopher, Parry, E. R.,,Ivan N. Anderson (Firm)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- Opuntia aurantiaca
- USDA Symbol:
- OPAU10
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 45 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, orange
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Can resprout from basal segments after fire damage. Succulent pads may survive low-intensity fires.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid regions, prefers open, sunny areas
Propagation & Germination
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have hard coats requiring scarification. Vegetative propagation via detached cladodes is more common and reliable.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI