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Opuntia basilaris
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Beavertail Pricklypear
( Opuntia basilaris )
Opuntia basilaris
More Photos at CalPhotos
More Info at Jepson eFlora
Calflora
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22 Nurseries Carry This Plant
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About Beavertail Pricklypear (Opuntia basilaris)
22 Nurseries Carry This Plant
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Named for its broad, flat leaf pads, Beavertail Pricklypear (
Opuntia basilaris
) is a medium sized cactus that's known for its vibrant magenta flowers. While the pads do not have the long spines of other cactus species, they do have small barbs that can be painful when touched. Beavertail Pricklypear blooms profusely in spring and early summer. The bright flowers attract pollinators and provide visual interest in a xeric landscape.
This succulent is native to the Southwestern desert regions of the US. It also grows in Mexico where it is called Nopal. Indigenous peoples consumed the fruit, leaf pad buds, and seeds. Beavertail Pricklypear requires minimal supplemental irrigation. Plant in full sun in sandy, well-draining soil. This cactus grows in clusters that can spread up to 6 ft wide. The pads can shrivel in the summer but will plump up during the winter rainy season. Dead pads can be removed, otherwise little maintenance is needed.
Miller, G.O. (2008). Landscaping with Native Plants of Southern California. Voyageur Press.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Shrub, Succulent
Size
1.3 - 2 ft tall
5 ft wide
Form
Spreading
Growth Rate
Slow
Dormancy
Evergreen
Fragrance
Slight
Flower Color
Pink, Purple, Red
Flowering Season
Spring
Wildlife Supported
Insects are very attracted to the flowers when in bloom.
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1
confirmed
, 3
likely
* )
SHOW ALL
Dyotopasta yumaella
Dyotopasta yumaella
*
Pseudoschinia elautalis
Pseudoschinia elautalis
*
Laetilia dilatifasciella
Laetilia dilatifasciella
*
Dicymolomia opuntialis
Dicymolomia opuntialis
Landscaping Information
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture
Extremely Low, Very Low
Summer Irrigation
Never irrigate once established
Nurseries
Carried by 22
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 0° F
Soil Drainage
Fast
Soil Description
Sandy or gravelly, decomposed granite or sandstone. Soil PH: 6.2 - 8.2
Common uses
Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens
Companion Plants
This cactus can be used with a wide variety of other plants as long as drainage is fast and supplemental watering is minimized. Good companions could include
Desert Agave
(
Agave deserti
),
Elephant Tree
(
Bursera microphylla
),
Desert Lavender
(
Condea emoryi
),
Brittlebush
(
Encelia farinosa
or actonii), Barrel Cactus (
Ferocactus cylindraceus
),
Ocotillo
(
Fouquieria splendens
),
Chuparosa
(
Justicia californica
), Palo Verde (
Parkinsonia sp.
),
Joshua Tree
(
Yucca brevifolia
),
Mojave Yucca
(Yucca shidigera), and numerous annuals
Maintenance
Pruning is generally not needed, although dead pads can be removed to maintain a neater appearance. Always were gloves when working on or around the plant
Propagation
?
For propagating by seed: No treatment.
Natural Setting
Site Type
High and low desert, in sandy valley floors, alluvial fans, and rocky slopes and canyons
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 1.8" - 34.3", Summer Precipitation: 0.17" - 3.11", Coldest Month: 27.0" - 63.7", Hottest Month: 50.7" - 88.4", Humidity: 1.60" - 46.11", Elevation: 5" - 10095"
Alternative Names
Common Names
: Beavertail Prickleypear, Nopal Del Castor
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Beavertail Pricklypear
Opuntia basilaris
Sources include:
Wikipedia
. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the
California Consortia of Herbaria
, Sunset information provided by
Jepson Flora Project
. Propogation from seed information provided by the
Santa Barbara Botanical Garden
from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include
CalPhotos
,
Wikimedia Commons
, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include
Calflora
,
CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online
,
Jepson Flora Project
,
Las Pilitas
,
Theodore Payne
,
Tree of Life
,
The Xerces Society
, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from
PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.
Links:
Jepson eFlora Taxon Page
CalPhotos
Wikipedia
Calflora
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