Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Origin
Mexico
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
-
Number of Varieties
810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm45.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm60.96 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Blue Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
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, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Clay, 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
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, 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
Salt
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
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
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 Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Blue Oat Grass
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
ब्लू जई घास
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blau Ährengras
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bleu Oat Grass
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Azul hierba de avena
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Azul Aveia
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Niebieski Owies trawa
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Blue Oat Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Cactaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Helictotrichon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Aveneae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Pooideae
Number of Species
270
1
27800
👆🏻