Opuntia curvispina

A low prickly pear of the Mojave and western Arizona desert edge, widely treated as a stabilised hybrid between Opuntia chlorotica and O. phaeacantha. It needs full sun, very sharp drainage and a cold, dry winter to stay compact and flower.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Rocky desert slopes, washes and desert grassland edges in Mojave and Sonoran transition country, in full sun among creosote, yucca and juniper.

Records from about 490 m to well over 2,000 m, median about 1,220 m; the highest records near 3,750 m are probably errors.

ArizonaCaliforniaUtahNevada

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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More Opuntia

Opuntia ficus-indica Opuntia engelmannii Opuntia galapageia Opuntia polyacantha Opuntia basilaris Opuntia humifusa Opuntia stricta Opuntia fragilis Opuntia macrocentra Opuntia macrorhiza Opuntia sulphurea Opuntia aciculata All 171 →

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.