Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Mexico
Africa
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
C. papyrus, C. papyrus 'Nanus
Number of Varieties
82
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Lakes, Shores of rivers or lakes, sluggish streams and rivers, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-127-11
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
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Grass like
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
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Stem Planting
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, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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
fungus
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
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
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Stem
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
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
पेपिरस संयंत्र
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
ägyptischen Papyrus-Pflanze
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Papyrus égyptien
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Papiro egipcio
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
αιγυπτιακό πάπυρο
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Papiro egípcio
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Papiro egipcio
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
CHARTA
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Agaricomycetes
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Cactaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cyperus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Cariceae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Cyperoideae
Number of Species
21
1
27800
👆🏻