Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Perennial
Origin
Mexico
-
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Benediction lungwort, Excalibur lungwort
Number of Varieties
818
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Forest edges, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-124-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-4
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, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Upright/Erect
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm25.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Pink, Rose, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Lung shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
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
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
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
Water when soil is dry, when new, water every week
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Adequately
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
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
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
Powdery mildew, Slugs
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
-
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, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Astringent, Demulcent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emollient, Exoectorant, Homeopathy, Opthalmic, Resolvent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves
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 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
Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
PULMONARIA 'Berries and Cream' PP10597
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Berries and Cream Lungwort, Lungwort
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Lungwort
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Lungenkraut
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
pulmonaire
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Lungwort
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Lungwort
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
pulmonária
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
płucnik
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Lungwort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Ascomycota
Class
Magnoliopsida
Ascomycetes
Order
Caryophyllales
Peltigerales
Family
Cactaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Pulmonaria
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Boragineae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Boraginoideae
Number of Species
218
1
27800
👆🏻