Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
China
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Morus nigra, Black Mulberry
Number of Varieties
810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm1,000.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Red, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Orange, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
White, Green, Dark Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Red, Bronze, Orange Red, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Lobed
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Cuttings, 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
Average Water Needs, Needs a lot of water initially, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head 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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
Alternaria leaf blight, Annosus Root Rot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma, conjunctivitis, Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Anti-ageing, Good for skin and hair, Strong, beautiful hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Anthelmintic, Antirheumatic, Diaphoretic, Nutritive
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, 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
Animal Feed, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Morus alba
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
White mulberry, Mulberry
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
शहतूत
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Maulbeere
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Mûre
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Mora
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Μούρο
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
amoreira
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Morwa
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
moro
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Urticales
Family
Cactaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Morus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Opuntieae
Moreae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
216
1
27800
👆🏻