Carried by 12 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
A species of prickly pear cactus known by the common name coastal prickly pear. Commonly confused with Opuntia semispinosa, which has longer, sometimes spineless pads. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitat. It generally occurs in dense clumps spreading several meters wide and up to a meter tall. It seldom hybridizes with Opuntia oricola. The branches are made up of orbicular flat segments up to 22 centimeters long. It is covered in clusters of yellowish spines 2 to 4 centimeters long. The flowers are yellow. The fruit is purplish red, up to 5 centimeters long, and less spiny than Opuntia oricola fruit. An important wildlife plant.
Shrub, Succulent
3 ft Tall
Yellow, Purple, Red
Spring
Containers, Hedge
Full Sun
Very Low
Easy
Fast
Prefers sand or sandstone.
14*, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22*, 23*, 24*
Slopes
Coastal Sage Scrub
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 4 likely