Life Span
Perennial
Annual or Biennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Grass
Origin
Mexico
South America, Micronesia, New Zealand
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Silver pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass, Purple pampas grass
Number of Varieties
825
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Lawn
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-127-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
11 - 7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 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 cm304.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm182.88 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Pink, Violet, White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Long and slender with very sharp edges
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
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Summer, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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 watering once a week, Reduce water once established, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Prune in late winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
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, Salt
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Birds, Rats, Snakes
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Skin cuts
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, 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
Fibre, Food for animals, Used in paper industry
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, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
CORTADERIA
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Pampas Grass
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Pampas grass
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Pampasgrass
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
herbe de la pampa
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
cortaderas
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
γρασίδι Πάμπα
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
grama de Pampas
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Pampas trawy
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Pampas herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Poales
Family
Cactaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cortaderia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Danthonieae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Danthonioideae
Number of Species
225
1
27800
👆🏻