Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Eastern Asia, China
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Babylon
Number of Varieties
83
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Lake margins, River side, Swamps, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-125-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
10-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison, Rooted stem cutting, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
Keep ground moist, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Aphids, Beetles, Caterpillars, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Versatility
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Headache, Sedative, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Tree trunks
Other Uses
Biomass for fuel, Employed in herbal medicine, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Showy Purposes, Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
SALIX babylonica f. tortuosa
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Corkscrew Willow
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
पेंचकश विलो
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Korkenzieher-Weide
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tire-bouchon Willow
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tire-bouchon Willow
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
τιρμπουσόν Willow
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
corkscrew salgueiro
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
korkociąg Willow
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
corkscrew Willow
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Malpighiales
Family
Cactaceae
Salicaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Salix
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Opuntieae
Saliceae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Salicoideae
Number of Species
235
1
27800
👆🏻