Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia polyacantha

USDA Symbol:

OPPO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow, pink, magenta, red

Ground Cover:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire. Pads may be killed but plants recover from surviving basal tissue.

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:

native to arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard coats requiring scarification. Germination is erratic and may take several months.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI