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Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.) Cockerell
Coastal pricklypear, Short Coastal Prickly-pear
Cactaceae (Cactus Family)
USDA Symbol: OPLI3
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Sprawling prickly-pear up to 2 feet high and several feet wide.
The Short Coastal Prickly-pear is often found in huge colonies, its glistening red fruits contrasting with its yellow-green stems. It is most common in southwestern California, where is usually dwells in the California chaparral. Cochineal insects often feed on the Short Coastal Prickly-pear and a relative, Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian Fig). The female insect produces a red dye that is used by southern peoples for staining fabrics.
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Bloom Information
Bloom Time: May , JunDistribution
USA: AZ , CANative Distribution: Southern California, and northern Arizona; Mojave Desert.
Native Habitat: Sandy or rocky soils or hillsides, beaches, washes, alluvial fans, and bluffs in the chaparral, deserts, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and montane forests.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Opuntia littoralis in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Opuntia littoralis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Opuntia littoralis
Metadata
Record Modified: 2007-01-01Research By: TWC Staff
