Top native Opuntieae
37 species, native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
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Engelmann's Pricklypear
Opuntia engelmannii
caterpillars
9
bees
7
hosts
2
food
15
flowers
50
-
Texas Pricklypear
Opuntia lindheimeri
caterpillars
9
bees
5
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
39
-
Erect Pricklypear
Opuntia dillenii
caterpillars
9
bees
6
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
27
-
Prairie Pricklypear
Opuntia macrorhiza
caterpillars
9
bees
4
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
41
shelter
1
-
Western Pricklypear
Opuntia orbiculata
caterpillars
9
bees
4
hosts
2
food
11
flowers
37
shelter
1
-
Brown-spined Pricklypear
Opuntia phaeacantha
caterpillars
8
bees
7
hosts
2
food
13
flowers
49
shelter
1
-
Mojave Cactus
Opuntia gilvescens
caterpillars
8
bees
7
hosts
2
food
13
flowers
36
shelter
1
-
Plains Pricklypear
Opuntia polyacantha
caterpillars
8
bees
6
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
61
shelter
1
-
Low Pricklypear
Opuntia humifusa
caterpillars
8
bees
4
hosts
2
food
15
flowers
42
-
Brittle Pricklypear
Opuntia fragilis
caterpillars
8
bees
5
hosts
1
food
12
flowers
39
shelter
1
-
Tulip Pricklypear
Opuntia camanchica
caterpillars
8
bees
2
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
30
-
Beavertail Pricklypear
Opuntia basilaris
caterpillars
7
bees
6
hosts
1
food
12
flowers
33
-
Shell Mound Pricklypear
Opuntia stricta
caterpillars
7
bees
4
hosts
1
food
50
flowers
22
-
Black-spined Pricklypear
Opuntia macrocentra
caterpillars
7
bees
3
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
30
-
Pancake Pricklypear
Opuntia chlorotica
caterpillars
6
bees
6
hosts
1
food
11
flowers
27
-
Opuntia fuscoatra
caterpillars
6
bees
1
food
9
flowers
18
-
Coastal Pricklypear
Opuntia littoralis
caterpillars
5
bees
5
hosts
1
food
10
flowers
28
-
Chaparral Pricklypear
Opuntia oricola
caterpillars
5
bees
5
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
17
-
Eastern Pricklypear
Opuntia cespitosa
caterpillars
5
bees
2
hosts
2
food
9
flowers
25
-
Hairspine Pricklypear
Opuntia trichophora
caterpillars
5
bees
2
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
26
-
Golden-spined Pricklypear
Opuntia aureispina
caterpillars
5
bees
1
food
8
flowers
13
-
Opuntia valida
caterpillars
4
bees
2
hosts
1
food
9
flowers
20
-
Southeastern Pricklypear
Opuntia mesacantha
caterpillars
4
bees
2
hosts
1
food
8
flowers
15
-
Florida Pricklypear
Opuntia austrina
caterpillars
4
bees
2
hosts
1
food
7
flowers
19
-
Creeping Cactus
Opuntia drummondii
caterpillars
4
bees
2
hosts
1
food
7
flowers
14
-
Florida Beach Pricklypear
Opuntia ammophila
caterpillars
4
bees
2
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
11
-
Western Pricklypear
Opuntia diploursina
caterpillars
4
bees
2
food
8
flowers
19
-
Searchlight Pricklypear
Opuntia curvispina
caterpillars
4
bees
2
food
8
flowers
18
-
Australian Pest Pear
Opuntia keyensis
caterpillars
4
bees
1
hosts
1
food
4
flowers
10
-
Carolina Prickly-pear Cactus
Opuntia tunoidea
caterpillars
3
bees
1
hosts
1
food
6
flowers
12
-
Golden Pricklypear
Opuntia aurea
caterpillars
2
bees
1
food
7
flowers
21
-
Pinkava's Pricklypear
Opuntia pinkavae
caterpillars
2
bees
1
food
7
flowers
16
-
Woods Pricklypear
Opuntia woodsii
caterpillars
1
bees
1
food
7
flowers
18
-
Semaphore Pricklypear
Consolea corallicola
-
Big Pine Key Pricklypear
Opuntia abjecta
-
Dillen's Prickly Pear
Opuntia zebrina
-
Cuban Pricklypear
Opuntia ochrocentra