Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Habitat
Desert
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-12
10-11
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
V-Shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Bold
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, 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
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
अरवी
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Colocasia
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Colocasia
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Colocasia
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kolokazja
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Colocasia
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Arales
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Aroideae
Importance of Barbary Fig and Taro
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Barbary Fig and Taro. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Barbary Fig and Taro as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover whereas of Taro is Aging, Laxative and Weight loss. Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises and Remove blemishes while Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises and Remove blemishes.
Compare Facts of Barbary Fig vs Taro
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Barbary Fig vs Taro and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Barbary Fig are whereas of Taro have Swelling in mouth and Throat itching respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Barbary Fig has showy fruits and Taro has no showy fruits. Also Barbary Fig is not flowering and Taro is not flowering . You can compare Barbary Fig and Taro facts and facts of other plants too.