Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
81
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
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
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
bipinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Cuttings, 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 high amount of 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
Acidic, 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, Partial 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
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
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
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Leaves, Root
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 a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Diabelski laska
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Apiales
Family
Cactaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Aralia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Aralioideae
Number of Species
230
1
27800
👆🏻