Olaga
Opuntia curassavica
- Native to:
- Aruba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Leeward Is., Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, United States, Venezuelan Antilles
Dr. L. Pfeiffer & Fr. Otto Peter A. Mansfeld for the filtred image.
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- Opuntia curassavica
- USDA Symbol:
- OPBO
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Succulent
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul
- 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
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Can resprout from surviving pads and root tissue after fire damage.
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 coastal regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from scarification of the hard seed coat. Warm temperatures around 70-85°F promote germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI