Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Mexico
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
815
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-126-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 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 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
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
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
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
Needs small amount of water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
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
Cold climate, Frost
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
-
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Aging, Frostbite
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
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
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, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
सुई ताड़
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Nadel -Palme
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
palmera aguja
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
palmeira agulha
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Igła palma
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Arecales
Family
Cactaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Corypheae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
210
1
27800
👆🏻