Sign in Start free
Species library › Opuntia › Opuntia fragilis
Succulents Well documented

Opuntia fragilis

The brittle prickly pear, a small mat-forming cactus with easily detached, rounded joints and the most northerly range of any cactus, reaching well into Canada. It is extremely cold hardy and wants full sun, sharp drainage and a dry, freezing winter.

Opuntia fragilis
Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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

Dry grassland, sandy and rocky outcrops, sagebrush steppe and open pine country, usually in full sun on thin soils.

From near sea level in the Pacific Northwest islands to about 2,600 m in the Rockies.

CanadaUnited States

🔒 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

Grow Opuntia fragilis? Add it to a free garden and its full profile opens. Pro opens all 38,374 profiles in the library, plants and fungi.

Start free Sign in

More Opuntia

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

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its Public domain licence, unmodified.