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Beavertail Cactus

Opuntia basilaris

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1 gallon; 5 gallon

Plant Care

Beavertail Cactus

Out of stock

2’x3’

Sizes:

Native region:

Local Native

Water needs:

Low

Exposure:

Full Sun; Filtered Sun

Mature size:

2’x3’

Growth rate:

Slow

Flower color:

Hot Pink

Flower season:

Spring into Summer

Pruning:

None required

Cold Hardiness:

0 Degrees

Nectar-producing:

Yes

Attracts pollinators:

Yes

Nighttime pollinators:

Yes

Butterflies or Moths:

Monarchs:

Rabbit-resistant:

Yes

Larval host:

Bees:

Yes

Bats:

Yes

Birds:

Yes

Nest site:

Yes

Nest materials:

Yes

Opuntia basilaris – Beavertail Cactus

The blue-gray, 6-inch-long pads are shaped much like a beaver’s tail and dotted with dense clusters of brown glochids (tiny barbed bristles) in an attractive dotlike pattern. New pads are jointed one on top of another, creating a distinctive, low-growing succulent clump.

From March through June, large hot pink to magenta flowers are produced in clusters on top of the pads, attracting a wide range of pollinators. These flowers are followed by dry, green pear-like fruits. Although this species lacks the long, sharp spines common to many prickly pears, the glochids are easily detached and can cause skin irritation if touched.

Most clumps reach about 2 feet tall by 3 feet across, though in favorable conditions they can spread more widely over time. Highly drought tolerant and adapted to rocky, sandy, or well-drained soils, Beavertail Cactus is a signature plant of the Mojave and lower Colorado Deserts. It thrives in full sun and is tolerant of reflected heat, making it ideal for desert landscapes, rock gardens, and wildlife plantings.

This species is also culturally important: Indigenous peoples traditionally ate the fruits and young pads (after carefully removing the glochids) and used parts of the plant medicinally.

Wildlife Value
Beavertail Cactus provides both nectar and fruit for wildlife, while its pads offer shelter for small animals and nesting sites for certain birds. The vivid flowers attract a diversity of native bees, beetles, and butterflies, and the fruits are eaten by birds and small mammals.

Host Plant: None documented for specialist Lepidoptera in our local ecoregions

Nectar Source: Native bees, generalist pollinators, and hummingbirds (Anna’s Calypte anna and Costa’s Calypte costae)

Bird Resources: Fruit/Berries; Nectar; Seeds; Shelter; Nesting Sites

Bird Species: Anna’s (C. anna), Costa’s (C. costae), Cactus Wren (C. brunneicapillus), Mourning Dove (Z. macroura), Black-throated Sparrow (A. bilineata), Greater Roadrunner (G. californianus)

Bees: Attracts numerous native solitary bees, including cactus-specialist bees (Diadasia spp.)

Growing Plants in the Desert — Important Information

The information presented here is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate and based on my research from reliable sources, observations I have made of plants growing in my, and other gardens I have visited, and observations of the plants in their native habitats. I would appreciate your feedback and experience to help me educate others!

Cacti: In my experience, cacti are much happier in the filtered shade here in the low desert of the Coachella Valley. Colors are more vibrant and they bloom more profusely, especially the non-native varieties. If you pay attention to how our native barrel and beavertail opuntia grow in the wild, it is frequently tucked in the rocks under creosote or another shrub.

Light Requirements: I have found that in our desert (Sonoran/Colorado) “full sun” plants can take and appreciate the late afternoon filtered sun, especially in the hot summer months.