Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Grass
Origin
Mexico
Eastern Asia, China, Japan, Korea
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
-
Number of Varieties
830
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Lower slopes, marshes, Mountain Slopes
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Red, White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Gold, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Gold, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison
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
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Adequately
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize when new
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Healthy tree, Red blotch, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Pollution
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
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 Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
MISCANTHUS sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Eulalia, Japanese Silvergrass, Maiden Grass
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
maiden grass
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Mädchen Gras
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
herbe de jeune fille
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
hierba doncella
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
παρθενική γρασίδι
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
grama de solteira
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
panieńskie trawy
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
virgo herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cyperales
Family
Cactaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Miscanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
217
1
27800
👆🏻