Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia tomentosa

USDA Symbol:

OPTO2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

orange, yellow, red

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from surviving pads after fire damage. Not fire-dependent but tolerates occasional fire in its native habitat.

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

Germination Time:

14–90 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with warm temperatures (70-85°F). Vegetative propagation via pad cuttings is more common and reliable.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI