Cactaceae
Opuntia polyacantha var. polyacantha
Opuntia polyacantha var. polyacantha var. polyacantha
Also known as Opuntia missouriensis var. elongata, Opuntia neorutila, Opuntia polyacantha var. platycarpa, Opuntia erinacea var. utahensis
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Cactus · Cold-Hardy · Xeriscape · Drought-Tolerant · Rock-Garden · Native · Plains · Spiny · Opuntia · Perennial
Plains prickly pear is an extremely cold-hardy cactus that thrives in full sun and well-draining, sandy or gravelly soil. Water sparingly — only every few weeks in summer and barely at all in winter. Plant it in a rock garden or xeriscape bed where it can spread freely without overwatering.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water deeply but infrequently, allowing soil to dry completely between waterings · Every 3-4 weeks in growing season, monthly or less in winter
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 7–8.8
- Temperature
- -20°F to 90°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
Hardiness
USDA 5a-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 18 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 36 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- Yellow
- Foliage
- Green · Coarse
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alberta, Arizona, Colorado, Czechoslovakia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies
Sources: trefle, usda
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