Opuntia megacantha
Opuntia megacantha
- Native to:
- Mexico
Mary Emily Eaton (1873-1961) Daniel Schweich for the filtred image.,Unknown author Unknown author,Britton, Nathaniel Lord; Rose, J. N.,,Nelson, Robert E. (Robert Elvon), 1917-,Kingsolver, John Mark Batra, Suzanne W. T Utmar, Joyce A,New York Botanical Garden,Haage & Schmidt.,various authors (en.wikipedia.org),Salm-Reifferscheidt, Joseph, Graf zu, 1773-1861, author Georgi, Carl, active 1850, printer Knuth, Frederik Marcus, 1904-1970, former owner. DSI Henry & Cohen, publisher,Oscar Pérez-Flores (www.wikidata.org),
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- Opuntia megacantha
- USDA Symbol:
- OPME3
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, orange, red
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, bees
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Can resprout from surviving pad segments after fire. Thick succulent pads provide some fire resistance.
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 and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have hard coats requiring scarification. Warm temperatures (70-85°F) improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI