Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia stricta

USDA Symbol:

OPST2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Succulent

Height:

200 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

yellow

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, tortoises, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from surviving pads after fire; often increases in disturbed or burned areas.

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

Stratification:

None required

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–90 days

Notes:

Seed coat is hard; scarification improves germination. Seeds germinate best at warm temperatures (25-30°C).

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI