Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Mexico
North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
-
Number of Varieties
83
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-124-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Orange, Gold, Copper, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Star Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
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
Average Water Needs, Do Not over 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Prune back the growing tips
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Anthracnose, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Birds
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Antispasmodic, Astringent, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Inner Bark, Leaves, Sap, Seeds
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 a preservative, Used for making black and brown dye, Used to make baskets, Used to make sweetener
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
ACER saccharinum
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Silver Maple
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Silver Maple
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Silver Maple
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
érable argenté
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
arce plateado
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Silver Maple
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
plátano de prata
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Silver Maple
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Acer
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Cactaceae
Aceraceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Acer
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Opuntieae
Acereae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Hippocastanoideae
Number of Species
2128
1
27800
👆🏻