Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Grass
Origin
Mexico
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Foxtail muhly, Devils Canyon muhly, alkali muhly
Number of Varieties
82
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
High elevation, Hillside, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-127-10
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
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Pink, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Brown, White
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison, 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
Needs less watering, Water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Grass Cuttting and pruning up to 5cm, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, EDTA iron
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
Showy
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
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Pollen
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, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
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
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
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
MUHLENBERGIA emersleyi
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Bull Grass
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Grass
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Grass
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Herbe
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Hierba
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Δελτίο Grass
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
touro grama
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Trawa
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bull Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cyperales
Family
Cactaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Eragrostideae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
2180
1
27800
👆🏻