Wooton's Pricklypear
Opuntia phaeacantha
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
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Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cactaceae
- Genus:
- Opuntia
- Species:
- Opuntia phaeacantha
- USDA Symbol:
- OPWO5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Succulent
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, orange, red
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Olycella junctolineella
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from surviving pads and roots after fire. Fire can reduce pad density but plants typically recover.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–180 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have hard coats requiring scarification. Germination is erratic and may take several months; warm temperatures (70-85°F) improve success.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI