Life Span
-
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Africa, South Africa
Mexico
Types
Shrub
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
368
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, Grassland, Mountains, Pastures, Rocky Ridges, Woods
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-118-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-5
Sunset Zone
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
Spreading
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green, Ivory
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Use and maintain water-efficient soaker hoses, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water Deeply
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Dysentry
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a dye, Used as a spice, Used in paper industry, Wood is used for making furniture
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
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
RHUS lancea
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
African Sumac
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
अफ्रीकी एक प्रकार का पौधा
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
African sumac
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
sumac africaine
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
zumaque africano
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Αφρικανική σουμάκι
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
sumac africano
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
afrykański sumaka
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
African sumac
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Anacardiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Rhus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Anacardioideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
362
1
27800
👆🏻