Opuntia trichophora

A low, sprawling prickly pear covered in long, hair-like white spines, from the dry grasslands and rocky slopes of the south-western USA and north-eastern Mexico. It is very cold-hardy when dry and wants full sun, a gritty soil and a cold, dry winter.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets 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

Grows on rocky or gravelly slopes, mesas and grassland in open, sunny country, often among pinyon-juniper or shortgrass. Often treated as a variety of Opuntia polyacantha.

Typically about 1,000–2,200 m; no wild records with elevation were available.

USA (Utah, New Mexico, Texas)NE-Mexico

🔒 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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, unmodified.