Find a Plant#
City of Fort Collins
pricklypear cactus
Opuntia polyacantha var. polycantha
Fort Collins
- Dimensions
-
Height: 4.0 in. to 1.0 ft.
Spread: 1.5 ft. to 3.0 ft. - Growth Form
- Shrub, Succulent/Cacti
- Program Association
- Nature in the City, Xeriscape Incentive Program
- Wildlife Uses
- Amphibians/Reptiles, Grassland Birds, Large Mammals, Medium-Sized Mammals, Pollinators/ Invertebrates, Shrubland Birds, Small Mammals
- Sun Requirements
- Full Sun
- Water Requirements
- Very Low
- Plant Community
- Foothills, Plains
- Season of Bloom
- June, July, August
- Flower Color
- Orange Shades, Pink Shades, Yellow Shades
- Leaf Color
- Green Shades
- Aggressiveness
- No City Data
- Design Considerations
- Drought Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Winter Interest
- Other Considerations
- Deer Tolerant
- Duration
- Perennial
- Natural Landscape Position
-
Fort Collins Model
1, 2 - Soil Type
- Variable
- Pests/Disease Prone
- No
- Hazards/Toxic
- Careful! Sharp Spines, Thorns Or Other Appendages.
Notes
USDA Plants National Database recognizes five varieties of O. polyacantha, all native to the western half of the U.S. Our native varieties polyacantha and hystricina vary slightly in appearance with the size and position of their spines.
Cactus should never be collected in the wild. Only purchase from sustainable and reputable sources that grow cactus and succulents, for vendors please see our “Where to Buy” page.
Popular with native bees.