Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Dasylirion acrotrichum, Dasylirion berlandieri, Dasylirion cedrosanum
Number of Varieties
86
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Desert, Dry areas, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1212-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm17.78 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm10.16 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Blue Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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
Does not require lot of watering, Water occasionally
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well 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, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilzer with low nitrogen content
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
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
-
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
useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
DASYLIRION berlandieri
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Blue Giant, Blue Twister, Desert Spoon, Zaragosa
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Giant Grass
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Giant Grass
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Giant Herbe
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Grass gigante
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Μπλε Giant Grass
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Grass gigante
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Błękitny Gigant Trawa
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Giant herba blue
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Cactaceae
Agavaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Dasylirion
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Nolinoideae
Number of Species
222
1
27800
👆🏻