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Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus

Opuntia Basilaris

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Overview

The Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris) is a charming, low-growing cactus, native to the Southwest. Notable for its distinct, flat, paddle-shaped pads resembling beaver tails, this plant typically reaches 6-12 inches in height with a 2-3 feet spread. Springtime blooms display vibrant pink flowers, adding a pop of color. Prefers full sun, minimal water, and well-draining soil, it's excellent for drought-tolerant landscapes and rock gardens.

Sun FullWater Very LowZones 7–11Type CactusClimate Arid, Subtropical

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — and its carefree maintenance requirements will assure them of its suitability for their garden

Culture

Sun: Full
Water: Very Low
USDA zones: 7–11

Shape & size

Classification

Type: Cactus
Family: Cactaceae
Climate: Arid, Subtropical

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Photos (125)

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — with a spread of roughly 24 to 36 inches; a detail worth noting during installation and, image 91

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — with a spread of roughly 24 to 36 inches

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Informing clients of the Beavertail's low-growing habit

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Informing clients of the Beavertail's low-growing habit; the plant produces reddish, image 76

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — and its carefree maintenance requirements will assure them of its suitability for their garden, image 50

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Springtime blooms display vibrant pink flowers, adding a pop of color; pink and red flowers in the garden

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — is a captivating species and a quintessential element for any drought-tolerant landscape, image 88

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — it's excellent for drought-tolerant landscapes and rock gardens, image 32

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Springtime blooms display vibrant pink flowers, adding a pop of color; pink and red flowers in, image 85

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — the Beavertail creates dense clumps that add texture and a soft yet rugged beauty to garden, image 38

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — pink and red flowers in the garden; with a spread of roughly 24 to 36 inches, image 79

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — it's excellent for drought-tolerant landscapes and rock gardens, image 59

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — spiny fruits that persist on the cactus; native to the Southwestern United States and, image 98

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — with a spread of roughly 24 to 36 inches; a detail worth noting during installation and

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — a detail worth noting during installation and maintenance.<br><br>In the spring

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — the plant produces reddish; the Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris) is a charming, image 70

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Springtime blooms display vibrant pink flowers, adding a pop of color; pink and red flowers in, image 58

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — contributing both color and visual interest to the arid landscape palette; it exemplifies, image 69

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — especially in regions that emulate its native desert conditions; this plant typically reaches 6-12 inches

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — With a minimal water requirement; paddle-shaped pads resembling beaver tails, image 101

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — Each bloom spans approximately 2 to 3 inches across

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — With a minimal water requirement

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — scientifically named Opuntia basilaris

Beavertail Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Basilaris) — contributing both color and visual interest to the arid landscape palette; it exemplifies, image 96

Photographs by 14 contributors

Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Jessie Eastland, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
John Rusk from Berkeley, CC BY 2.0 · source
Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0 · source
Zzyzx, CC BY 3.0 · source
James St. John, CC BY 2.0 · source
Dcrjsr, CC BY 3.0 · source
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 · source
Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · source
Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0 · source

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