Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris) Height: 4'. Width: 3'. Cold tolerant to 20 degrees. Low water use. Evergreen. Red to orange flowers. Full sun to partial shade. Beavertail is a wonderful prickly pear because it is generally shorter and has an exciting, bright flower. The spines are small, but don't forget they are still there.
Dinner Plate Prickly Pear (Opuntia robusta) eight: 8'. Width: 5'. Cold tolerant to 20 degrees. Low water use. Evergreen. Yellow flowers. Full sun to partial shade. One of my favorite prickly pears, the Dinner plate is freckled with thorns not to many though but it most unique characteristic would be the size of the pads. Some pads can reach 2 feet in diameter and 3-4 inches thick.
Indian Fig Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) eight: 15'. Width: 10'. Cold tolerant to 20 degrees. Low water use. Evergreen. Yellow flowers. Full sun to partial shade. Although the Indian fig is a large prickly pear one of its most greatest assets is that the cacti is completely thornless. An advantage to it height is the Indian Fig makes a good a screen or hedge that takes almost no care except maybe some water in those dry months.
Santa Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia violecea) Height: 5'. Width: 5'. Cold tolerant to 15 degrees. Low water use. Evergreen. Yellow flowers. Full sun to partial shade. The Santa Rita P.P has to recently be one of the most popular of its whole family. The plant has that great purple coloring on its pads, but be careful it is heavily thorned. Some of the native Santa Ritas around town stay purple where as others turn purple because of the cold.
