Opuntia basilaris
| Light | Full sun; bright light indoors |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; allow to dry completely, keep dry in winter |
| Soil | Very fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Cold-hardy for a cactus; tolerates light frost when dry |
| Propagation | Pad cuttings (easiest); seed |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic, but glochids cause skin irritation |
Opuntia basilaris, the beavertail cactus, is a low-growing, clump-forming prickly pear of the North American deserts, prized for its bluish, paddle-shaped pads and brilliant magenta to rose-pink flowers. Unlike most Opuntia, its flattened pads appear spineless from a distance, though they are studded with clusters of fine, barbed glochids that demand respect.
Description
Opuntia basilaris forms low, spreading clumps rather than tall, branching stands, usually reaching only 20–40 cm in height. The pads are broad, flattened and often tinged blue-grey to purplish, especially when stressed by cold or drought, giving the plant its distinctive muted colouring. Their rounded, paddle shape — said to resemble a beaver's tail — gives the species both its scientific epithet and its common name.
The pads lack the long, rigid spines typical of the genus. In their place, each areole bears a dense tuft of reddish-brown glochids: tiny, hair-fine barbed bristles that detach at the slightest touch and lodge painfully in skin. Handle the plant only with thick gloves or folded newspaper.
In spring the plant produces a flush of large, satiny flowers in vivid magenta, rose or occasionally pale pink, borne along the upper edges of the pads. These are among the most striking blooms in the genus and are followed by dryish, tan fruit.
Distribution and habitat
The beavertail cactus is native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, including the Mojave, Sonoran and Colorado deserts, ranging across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and into Baja California. It grows on rocky slopes, gravelly flats and desert washes, often in exposed, sun-baked positions with sharp drainage.
Adapted to extremes, it endures intense summer heat and drought as well as cold desert winters, shrivelling and taking on purplish tones during hard times before plumping back up after rain.
Cultivation
Opuntia basilaris is an easy, tough plant given the two things it insists on: strong light and excellent drainage. Grow it in full sun, in a gritty, mostly mineral mix, and water thoroughly only when the medium has dried out completely. In winter keep it dry and cool — its cold tolerance is real but depends on the roots and pads staying dry, as wet cold quickly causes rot.
Because of the glochids, site the plant away from paths and handling. See Watering and Repotting for general technique. Grown well, it rewards with reliable spring flowering.
Propagation
Propagation is easiest from pad cuttings. Detach a healthy pad at the joint, let the cut surface callus over for several days to a week, then set it upright in barely moist, gritty mix; roots form readily in warm conditions. The species can also be raised from seed, though this is slower and less common in cultivation. See Propagation — cuttings for the full method.
Common problems
- Rot — the main killer, caused by wet, poorly drained soil or watering during cold weather; pads soften and discolour.
- Glochid injury — not a plant problem but a grower one; the barbed glochids are easily dislodged and hard to remove from skin, so always handle with protection.
- Etiolation — too little light produces weak, pale, oversized pads that lose the compact, blue-grey character.
- Pests — mealybugs and scale can shelter in the areoles; cochineal scale sometimes appears as white cottony masses.
See also
- Opuntia — the genus overview
- Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Pests and diseases