Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia × occidentalis

USDA Symbol:

OPOC2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

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 surviving pad tissue after fire. Often found in fire-prone arid and semi-arid habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard coats requiring scarification. Vegetative propagation from pads is more reliable and commonly used.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI