Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia engelmannii var. laevis

USDA Symbol:

OPLA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

150 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:

Resprouts from surviving pads and root crowns after fire. Fire removes dead material and competing vegetation.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Thrives in arid desert environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–180 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard seed coats requiring scarification. Germination can be erratic and slow; warm temperatures improve results.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI