Cacti

Opuntia robusta Giant Prickly Pear, Dinner Plate Prickly Pear


Ruler icon 6-8 ft. high x 4-6 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 8-11

With their round pads up to 1 ft. across, these prickly pears are colloquially known as the dinner plate prickly pear. The large green pads have numerous 1.5-2 in. long sharp, white to gray colored spines that provide a formidable appearance. With these large individual pads, the entire plants grow to a large size of 6-8 ft. high and wide. They are low water use plants and require well-drained soils. Large, yellow to golden flowers appear in spring and followed by 3-4 in. oval fruits that turn from pink to purplish when ripe.

Opuntia rufida (Syn. O. microdasys var. rufida) Blind Prickly Pear


Ruler icon 2-4 ft. high x 3-5 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 8-11

These are well-behaved, under-utilized durable and handsome prickly pears. They are native to S. Texas into northern Mexico in rocky soils in mixed desert scrubland. They have powdery-blue to gray-green round pads with no spines, just brown to cinnamon colored glochids. In colder months the pads can exhibit some bronzing or become attractively tinged with pink. Spring blooms are golden to light orange. Plant in well-drained soils in full sun for best display.

Opuntia violacea Purple Prickly Pear, Santa Rita Prickly Pear


Ruler icon 2-4 ft. high x 2-5 ft. wide

Sun icon Full to part sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 7-11

Their new pads are dark purple and as the pads mature with a purple hue over a waxy, powder-blue color. During cold or drought stress pads will also turn deep amethyst, especially along the outer edges of each pad. The spines are dark brown to nearly black which are attractively offset against the light golden glochids. With their unique coloration and medium size, they are a perfect accent plant for artistic southwestern landscape designs.

Oreocereus trollii Old Man of the Mountains


Ruler icon 1-3 ft. high x 2-4 in. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 7-11

This South American native grows at high elevations in remote mountainous locations in the Andes. They form thick columns that will eventually become branched at the base to form small but husky, attractive clumps. Long, sharp golden-brown to reddish colored spines protrude out from under their distinctive ghostly fuzzy white cloaks. This hair has evolved to protect their green skin from sunburn and cold. They are slow growing, but low maintenance plants that are easy to care for. Plant them in-ground or in containers with well-drained soil with occasional water during the hottest summer months in the low desert but withhold water from fall through spring to prevent root rot.

Pachycereus marginatus (Syn. Stenocereus marginatus) Mexican Fencepost


Ruler icon up to 15 ft. high x 2-6 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 9-11

These are large growing columnar growing cacti that form numerous, thick vertical stems from the base. In optimal conditions they can grow rapidly, compared to other cacti species. They have squarish stems typically 5-7 in. wide with the similar number of ribs. The rib margins are lined with conjoined, bright white areoles with short bristle-like spines, that can vary by length. They have striking lines and verticality that make designers and cacti aficionados’ drool. Plant in well-drained soils with room to grow.

Pachycereus pringlei Cardon


Ruler icon 20-40 ft. high x 10-20 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 9-11

The Cardon is a tall, giant cacti of the Sonoran Desert. Although they do not naturally occur in AZ, they are perfectly at home in the same growing environments as Saguaros. These tall wide columnar cacti resemble Saguaros in many ways, but with some observation they are noticeably different. Cardons tend to branch from the base or lower on the column, they have gray-green waxy looking flesh, and its more numerous ribs are armed with areoles sporting silvery colored spines up to 5 in. long. Plant them in well-drained soil with plenty of headroom, although they are slow growing they are quite persistent growers and long-lived. Mature plants are offered as bareroot specimens in various sizes from 4 to 6 ft. in height. Please call our sales team for current availability and pricing.

Pachycereus schottii (Syn. Lophocereus schottii) Sanita


Ruler icon 10-20 ft. high x 8-12 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 9-11

These are mostly stemless, candelabra-shaped cacti native to S. Arizona and Baja, Mexico. They grow slowly with several vertical spiny columns that are typically 3-4 inches in diameter with approx. 5-9 flattened ribs. As these plants mature the areoles near the top of each arm will form dense, distinctive brush-like bristles of brown to gray. These Senita cacti are extremely drought tolerant, but they will accept some supplemental irrigation, while immature, during periods of growth and heat, as most other cacti species do. Well-drained, loose, sandy to rocky soils are best.

Pachycereus schottii f. monstrosus (Syn. Lophocereus schotti ‘Monstrosus’) Totem Pole


Ruler icon 6-10 ft. high x 4-8 ft. wide

Sun icon Full to part sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 9-11

These are spineless, columnar cacti, with slow wide growth habit. These are genetically mutated, attractively lumpy, and bumpy form of the Lophocereus schottii – Senita cacti. Well-drained soils and time will allow them to grow into large, stately and dramatic looking plants. They perform well in containers or in ground mixed with other low water use natives.

Stenocereus thruberi Arizona Organ Pipe


Ruler icon up to 25 ft. high x 10-15 ft. wide

Sun icon Full sun

Thermometer icon USDA zones 9-11

These striking cacti are native to southern AZ and northwestern Mexico into Baja. Organ pipe cacti branch from the base with inward curving, stems that are typically 6-8 in. diameter. Each arm has 12-15 shallow ribs with a dark green color, accented by dark brown to nearly black areoles that have gray, star-shaped radial spines with a few longer center spines. They are slow growing but eventually reach dramatic sizes. Plant them with loose, sandy or rocky well-drained soils. Little to no water during fall and winter.