Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Central America, Mexico, North America
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Neck, Really Big Hybrid, Waltham
Number of Varieties
85
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-129-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm7.62 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Peach, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, 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
Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering, 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
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
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove the old foliage
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Balanced organic fertilizer, iron-rich fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphate
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Dry root rot, Fusarium leaf spot, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Shade areas, Shallow soil
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Ants, Bees
Allergy
-
Dermatitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Glowing Skin, Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Cardiovascular problems, cholesterol-lowering, constipation, Diabetes, Fiber, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Immunity, Manganese, Obesity, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, 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
For making oil, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
CUCURBITA pepo 'White Crown of Thorns'
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Winter Squash
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
कोंहड़ा
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Winter squash
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
courges d'hiver
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
calabaza de invierno
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
σκουός χειμώνα
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
abóbora
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
dynia
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
227
1
27800
👆🏻