Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia fragilis

USDA Symbol:

OPFR

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Food Forest:

Contains edible parts

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 root fragments after fire; pads readily reestablish vegetatively in disturbed areas.

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:

thrives in nutrient-poor conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard coats; scarification improves germination. Vegetative propagation from detached pads is more common and reliable than seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI