Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Perennial
Origin
Mexico
-
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kniphofia uvaria
Number of Varieties
870
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Damp Places, Marshy ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-126-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
9-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow, Red, Orange, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison, 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 more water during establishment, Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water in the early morning hours
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
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
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
Onion thrips, Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Moisture
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Snails
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Borders, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
-
Part of Plant Used
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
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
KNIPHOFIA 'Border Ballet'
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Tritoma, Wisley Blue Spring Starflower, Wisley Blue Springstar
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tritoma
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tritoma
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tritoma
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
tritoma
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
tritoma
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tritoma
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Tritoma
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Trytoma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Cactaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Kniphofia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
-
Number of Species
272
1
27800
👆🏻