Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Perennial
Origin
Mexico
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Canada, Mexico
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Shrub
Number of Varieties
870
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Sunny Edge
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-123-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Purple, Pink, Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Root Division
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
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers
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 Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
PHYSOSTEGIA
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Physostegia
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Physostegia
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Physostegia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Cactaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Physostegia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
265
1
27800
👆🏻