Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico
-
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cactus
Number of Varieties
8-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Loamy soils, Rocky areas, Sandhills
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm8.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Cuttings, Hardwood Cuttings, Semi-hardwood 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, Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
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
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
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
-
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
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
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
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 for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
-
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Pachycereus pringlei
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Cardon, Mexican giant cardon, elephant cactus
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Cardon
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cardon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Pachycereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Pachycereeae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
212
1
27800
👆🏻