Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Summer Squash, Winter Squash
Number of Varieties
81
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Orange, Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
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
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
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
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Downy mildew, Fungal Diseases, 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Insects
Allergy
-
Skin irritation, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
anti-cancer, Bone strength, Fiber, Indigestion, Nutrients, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits
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 Food, 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
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
CUCURBITA pepo 'Delicata'
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Peanut Squash, Squash
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
देलिकाता स्क्वाश
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Delicata Squash
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Delicata Squash
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Delicata Squash
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Delicata Σκουός
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Delicata Squash
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Delicata Squash
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
delicata Cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cucurbitales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2100
1
27800
👆🏻