Opuntia austrina
prickly-pear cactus
Cactaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
flower
Size:
1-2 (4) ft tall by 1-3 ft wide
Life Span:
long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
yellow
Fruit Color:
red
Phenology:
evergreen
Noted For:
Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Thorns, Interesting Foliage
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Can be used as a small specimen plant or as a low-growing hedge that is sure to keep out intruders.
Considerations:
Thorns! This plant has thorns and prickles that will attack the unwary. They make weeding difficult, and the plant needs to be where no one will accidentally step on it.
Light:
Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance:
Not wet but not extremely dry ---- to ---- Very long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11
Ecology
Wildlife:
Pollinators, Caterpillars
- Nectar plant for dotted skipper ( Hesperia attalus ) butterflies.
- Attracts a variety of insects, especially native bees.
Native Habitats:
Scrub, scrubby flatwoods, sandhill, xeric disturbed areas.
