Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Mexico
North America
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Grass
Number of Varieties
85
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Lake margins, Lake Sides, Lakes
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm270.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Olive
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Rhizome division, Seedlings
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
occasional watering once established
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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
Aphids, Mealy bugs, Scale, Scale insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Itchiness
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
Abscess, Snakebite, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Rhizomes, Root, Seeds, Shoots, Stem
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
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Bog Garden, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Schoenoplectus Tabernaemontani
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Grey Club-Rush, Great Bulrush, Softstem Bulrush
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Softstem Bulrush
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Softstem Bulrush
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Cactaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Schoenoplectus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
235
1
27800
👆🏻