Opuntia phaeacantha

Englemann Prickly Pear

Accent

This evergreen prickly pear grows three to four feet tall and spreads, rooting as it goes.

Temperature

Hardy to 5F. May tend to turn purple in cold weather.

Water requirements

Best with occasional irrigation in spring and summer. Tolerates none in its native habitat or in regions receiving 10 to 12 inches of annual rainfall.

Sun

Part, full or reflected sun.

Soil

Usually widely tolerant.

Maintenance

None to periodic. Use tongs when handling plant parts.

Disadvantages

Grazed by javelinas. Harbors packrats that nest at the base. Spines. Can invade areas where they are not wanted. Subject to a virus that creates brown circles, as well as cochineal scale and bacterial infection.

Bloom

Yellow bloom in spring.

Fruit or Seeds

Edible fruit starts as green, changes to red, and ends up purple. Eaten mostly by birds. Not particularly flavorful, so best made into jelly if for human consumption.

Uses

Can be used as a barrier. Bank cover for erosion control. Refurbishing disturbed areas and returning them to a natural state.

Origin

Native to the Tucson basin. Member of the Cactaceae family

Cultivars

Also known as O. engelmannii.

Themes

Native, Desert Grassland, Desert, Desert Transitional, Bird, Edible.

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