Opuntia Species
Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail cactus) Sunset: 12-24; USDA: 9b-12. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 0°F. Slow growing to 2' tall; 4' wide. Origin: Arizona, California, Nevada, northwestern Mexico.
Opuntia ellisiana (Tiger tongue). Sunset: 12-24; USDA: 9b-12. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 16°F. Slow growing to 2' tall; 8' wide. Origin: Mexico, Texas.
Opuntia engelmannii (Engelman prickly pear) Sunset: 8,9, 12-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 8' tall. Origin: Arizona, California
Opuntia engelmannii var. aciculata (Chenille); Sunset: 8-24; USDA: 8-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 3' tall. Origin: Southwestern USA, NW Mexico.
Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis (Cow's tongue) Sunset: 8-24; USDA: 8-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 5' tall. Origin: Southwestern USA, northwestern Mexico.
Opuntia engelmannii var. texana; Sunset: 8,9, 12-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Used for edible fruit. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 8' tall. Origin: Texas
Opuntia ficus indica (Cow's tongue), Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 15°F. Tree like opuntia grows to 16' + tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia ficus indica (Elephant ear), Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 15°F. Tree like opuntia grows to 16' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia microdasys (Yellow bunny ears)
Opuntia microdasys var. albaspina (White bunny ear). Sunset: 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 20°F. Grows to 2' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia microdasys v. rufidia (Orange bunny ears). Sunset: 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 20°F. Grows to 4' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia paraguayensis (Orange tuna) Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 25°F. Grows to 6' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia phaeacantha. Sunset: 10-13; USDA: 7-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 6' tall; 6 to 15' in spread. Origin: Arizona, Utah, Texas.
Opuntia quimilo (Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 22°F. Grows to 6' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia rufida (Blue) Sunset:11-13; USDA: 8b-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 15°F. Grows to 4' tall. Origin: southwestern Texas and northern Mexico.
Opuntia rufida (Purple variety) (Sunset:11-13; USDA: 8b-10). Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little water. Hardy to 15°F. Rapidly grows with water to 6' tall; 8' spread. Origin: south central Texas.
Opuntia streptacantha (Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 9-10). Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 22°F. Tree like opuntia grows to 16' tall. Origin: Mexico.
Opuntia subulata monstrosa (Austrocylindropuntia subulata). Sunset: 11-13; USDA: 9-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to moderate water. Hardy to 25°F. Read flowers. Grows to 10' tall; 8' spread. Origin: Ecuador and Peru.
Opuntia violacea var. macrocentra (Texas santa rita). Sunset: 10-13,18-21; USDA: 8b-11. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 5°F. Grows to 3' tall 6' spread. Yellow flowers, red highlight. Origin: Texas, New Mexico, eastern Arizona, northern Mexico.
Opuntia violacea var. santa rita (Purple prickly pear). Sunset: 8-10, 12-24; USDA: 7-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 0°F. Grows to 5'. Origin: Texas to Arizona, northern Mexico
Tephrocactus articulatus papyracanthus (White paper spine) Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 8b-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 25°F. Grows to 1' tall. Origin: Western Argentina.
Tephrocactus articulatus species (Small gray paper spine) Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 8b-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 22°F. Grows to 1' tall. Origin: Argentina.
Tephrocactus articulatus var strobiloformis (Pine cone). Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 8b-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 22°F. Grows to 1' tall. White flowers. Origin: Argentina.
Tephrocactus glomeratus v. longispinus (large grey paperspine) (large grey paper spine). Sunset: 8,9, 11-24; USDA: 8b-10. Full sun. Heat tolerant. Little to no water. Hardy to 22°F. Grows to 1' tall. Origin: Argentina.