Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, China, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ceiba casearia, Bombax pentandrum
Habitat
Desert
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12
9-15
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Red, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Palmate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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 Spring, Late Winter
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Moderate
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, 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
Prune when young, Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Bacterial leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Soil Compaction
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Headache, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress, wheezing
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Improve skin tone, Making cosmetics, Moisturizing, Skin irritation
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Aphrodisiac, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, 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
Oil is used as an industrial solvent, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Ceiba pentandra
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Cotton Tree, Red Kapok, Red-silk-cotton Tree
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
सफ़ेद सेमल / शाल्मली
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kapok baum
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Fromager
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ceiba
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Ceiba
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Mafumeira
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Puchowiec pięciopręcikowy
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ceiba
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Malvales
Family
Cactaceae
Bombacaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Barbary Fig and Kapok
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Barbary Fig and Kapok. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Barbary Fig and Kapok as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover whereas of Kapok is Aphrodisiac and Diuretic. Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises and Remove blemishes while Kapok has beauty benefits as follows: Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises and Remove blemishes.
Compare Facts of Barbary Fig vs Kapok
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Barbary Fig vs Kapok and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Barbary Fig are whereas of Kapok have Headache, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress and wheezing respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Barbary Fig has showy fruits and Kapok has showy fruits. Also Barbary Fig is not flowering and Kapok is not flowering . You can compare Barbary Fig and Kapok facts and facts of other plants too.