Perritos

Opuntia pubescens Wendl. ex Pfeiff.

Family: Cactaceae

Pet & Human Safety

People: Skin irritant to peoplePets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

Not a food plant; no preparation guidance is given.

Hazard type

spiny stems (physical injury); no human toxicity data read

Hazard route

skin (physical contact with spines; no human poison information found in our sources)

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

ASPCA's page is for the genus Opuntia, not this species by name, and lists no toxic signs. 'Non-toxic' describes poisoning only; it does not cover injury from spines. ASPCA is the only source we found, and one source is not enough to call a plant safe for pets, so it is not assessed as safe. Keep pets from eating it.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones: Not checked yet
Light: Full sun (direct sun)
Water needs: low
Mature size: Height 0.25 m to 0.40 m; crown diameter about 0.3 m (Celaya Mexico planting guide).

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon