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Opuntia polyacantha

plains pricklypear

Cactaceae

Western and central North America (Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains)

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–9

Overview

Opuntia polyacantha is a low, mat-forming cactus in the family Cactaceae, growing 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) tall and spreading by jointed pads into clumps 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) or more across. The blue-green to grey-green stem segments, or pads, are flattened, rounded to oval, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long, and armed with clusters of 5-12 slender spines up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, along with tufts of tiny barbed glochids that detach at a touch. Cup-shaped flowers 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) wide open at the pad margins in late spring to early summer, usually pale yellow and sometimes flushed pink, magenta, or bronze. The fruit is a dry, spiny, tan burr 0.75-1.25 inches (2-3 cm) long, unlike the fleshy fruit of many other pricklypears. Opuntia polyacantha withstands extreme cold and drought, surviving below -30F (-34C) by shedding water from its pads in winter. Limitations include sharp spines and glochids that make handling hazardous and a spreading habit that can overtake small plantings.

Native Range

Opuntia polyacantha is native to western and central North America, ranging from the prairie provinces of Canada south through the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains to Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico. It grows on dry plains, sandy and gravelly slopes, and rocky outcrops in grassland and shrub-steppe.

Suggested Uses

Opuntia polyacantha is grown in rock gardens, xeriscapes, and dryland and water-wise plantings, and for erosion control on dry slopes. It is spaced 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) apart as a low, spreading groundcover in hot, sunny sites.

How to Identify

Identified by low clumps of flattened, blue-green pads bearing dense clusters of long, slender spines, typically 5-12 per areole, which give the species its name. The dry, spiny, burr-like fruit distinguishes it from pricklypears with juicy red fruit. Pads often wrinkle and lie flat against the ground in winter, regaining turgor in spring.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'

Width/Spread3' - 6'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring Summer

Opuntia polyacantha blooms in late spring to early summer, generally May to June, with each flower lasting one to two days. Pale yellow to bronze or magenta flowers open at the upper edges of the pads and attract bees. Flowering lasts about two to three weeks, after which dry, spiny fruits form and persist into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pale yellow to magenta

Foliage Description

Blue-green pads (leafless)

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Flowers in 2-3 years; mats establish in 3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Opuntia polyacantha grows in full sun on sharp-draining sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil with a pH of 6.0-8.0 and needs very little water once established. Wet, poorly drained soil causes pad and root rot, the main cause of failure in cultivation. It withstands intense heat, drying wind, and winter cold to USDA zone 3 without protection. No fertiliser is required, and lean soil keeps growth compact. Pads root readily where they touch the ground, so colonies expand on their own. Cochineal scale and occasional rot are the only common problems.

Pruning

Opuntia polyacantha needs no routine pruning. Individual pads can be removed with tongs to limit spread or to propagate new plants, and damaged or rotting segments are cut away at the joint. Detached pads root easily in dry soil after the cut surface calluses.