Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cactaceae

Genus:

Opuntia

Species:

Opuntia tuna

USDA Symbol:

OPTU9

Growth Characteristics

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow

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, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from surviving pad segments after fire damage.

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

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–90 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat benefits from scarification. Seeds germinate best with warm temperatures above 70°F.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI