Opuntia spp.

prickly-pear cactus

Cactaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2-3 (rarely 5) ft ft tall by 1-4 ft 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:

Makes an interesting wildflower. Can be used as a low-growing hedge in hot, dry locations.

Considerations:

Thorns! The thorns on this plant make weeding around it difficult. Best planted where no one will be walking adjacent to the plant.

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:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies

Nectar plant for Meske's skipper ( Hesperia meskei ) butterflies.





Attracts a variety of insect pollinators.





Bees documented visiting Opuntia humifusa include  Agapostemon splendens, Augochlorella aurata, Augochloropsis sumptuosa, Dialictus nymphalis, D. tegularis, Halictus ligatus, Dianthidium floridiense, Lithurgus gibbosus, Megachile brevis pseudobrevis, M. policaris, M. texana, Melissodes communis, Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, B. pennsylvanicus and Xylocopa virginica krombeini (Deyrup et al. 2002).

Native Habitats:

Coastal dunes, coastal grasslands.