Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southern Asia
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Savoy, Giant Noble, Semi-savoy
Number of Varieties
83
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Fields, gardens, meadows, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12-9999
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
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow, Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Tan, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
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
Requires regular 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
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
Downy mildew, Leafminers, Red blotch, Seedcorn maggot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
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
-
Allergy
-
Food Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Energy, Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Stem
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 Food, 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
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
SPINACIA oleracea
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Spinach
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
पालक
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Spinat
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Épinards
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Espinacas
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Espinafre
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Szpinak
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Spinach
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Spinacia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Anserineae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
2800
1
27800
👆🏻