Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia chlorotica

USDA Symbol:

OPCH

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

240 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow

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, pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from surviving pads after fire; typically found in fire-prone desert scrub and chaparral ecotones.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, rocky, well-drained soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid desert regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with warm temperatures; propagation more commonly done via pad cuttings.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI