Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Flowering Plants
Origin
Mexico
China
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ribbon series, Milady aster
Number of Varieties
835
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Cold Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-123-9
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, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Yellow, Purple, Pink, Rose, Crimson, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
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 Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
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
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Alternate Days
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Loamy, 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, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Well-rotted manure
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
fungus
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bouquets, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers
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
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Cottage garden, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
CALLISTEPHUS chinensis
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
China Aster
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
चीन एस्टर
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
China Aster
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Chine Aster
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
aster de China
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Κίνα Aster
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
China Aster
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Chiny Aster
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Sinis Aster
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asterales
Family
Cactaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Callistephus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Astereae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Asteroideae
Number of Species
215
1
27800
👆🏻