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Nomenclature
Common Name:
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Family:
Cactaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
Size:
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Considerations:
Text
Availability:
Text
Propagation:
Text
Light:
Text
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry
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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
Soil pH:
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11
Ecology
Wildlife:
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:
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
These species are, in combination, found throughout Florida and from a cultivation perspective, are very similar. In nature, O. stricta tends to be in more coastal areas.
Rarely grown but worthy of consideration in hot dry locations where the thorns are not an issue or are an asset.
These cacti are attacked by the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, which arrived in Florida in 1989, and this invasive species has become a serious threat to the diversity and abundance of Opuntia
cacti in North America. If it become a problem on an Opuntia
used in landscaping, it is best treated by manual removal as insecticides can also kill native butterflies and pollinators.
O. stricta is invasive in many warmer parts of the world including Australia, parts of Africa, and parts of Eurasia.
