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19250 S Ellsworth Rd
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

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Woolly prickly pear tree with velvety blue-green pads and orange-red flowers in a gravel yard

Woolly Prickly Pear

Opuntia tomentosa
Categories:
Cacti & Succulents  ·  
Prickly Pear
Light
Full sun
Water
Very low; deep, infrequent watering once established.
Size
10-15 ft tall × 6-10 ft wide
Habit
Prickly-pear/pad cactus – tree-like
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Description
Large, tree-like prickly pear with flat, velvety, blue-green pads covered in fine hairs and few prominent spines. Produces orange-red flowers followed by red fruit; a strong structural accent for desert landscapes.
Bloom Time
Spring to early summer
Deciduous / Evergreen
Evergreen
Special Features
Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Attracts Birds, Edible, Heat Tolerant, Reflected Heat Tolerant, Thorny / Spiny
Growth Rate
Moderate
Growth Habit
Prickly-pear/pad cactus – tree-like
Mature Size
10-15 ft tall × 6-10 ft wide
Flower Color
Orange-red
Foliage Color
Blue-green
Landscape Use
Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Screen, Pollinator / Wildlife Garden, Specimen / Accent
Garden Style
Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Agave, Brittlebush, Desert marigold, Ferocactus, Palo verde
Non-toxic
Non-toxic
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun

Water: Very low; deep, infrequent watering once established.

Soil: Well-draining sandy or gravelly soil; tolerates poor, alkaline soils.

Mature size: 10-15 ft tall, 6-10 ft wide

Bloom: Spring to early summer

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen

Growth rate: Moderate