Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Mexico
Madagascar
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cyperus involucratus, Cyperus albostriatus
Number of Varieties
820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-128-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Subulate
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Cuttings
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
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Red spider mite, Spider mites
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Butterflies, 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
Antibacterial, Antifungal
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Root
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 Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Bog Garden, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Cyperus Alternifolius
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Umbrella Papyrus, Umbrella Sedge, Umbrella Palm, Umbrella Plant
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Umbrella Plant
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Dach-Anlage
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Parapluie Plante
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Umbrella Plant
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
ομπρέλα φυτών
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Planta do guarda-chuva
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
parasol roślin
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
O Planta
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Cactaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cyperus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Cypereae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Cyperoideae
Number of Species
2700
1
27800
👆🏻