Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
-
Number of Varieties
8-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Subtropical climates, subtropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm550.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Ivory, Gray
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Magenta, Violet
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Cuneate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
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
Does not require regular 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Wood
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 woodware, Wood is used for making furniture
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, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
TRIPLARIS americana
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Ant Stick, Macaw, St. Mary's Stick
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Macaw
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ara
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
ara
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
guacamayo
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
μακώ
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
arara
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
ara
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Ara
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Polygonaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Triplaris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
2-
1
27800
👆🏻