Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
America
Types
Opuntia ficus-indica
Cucurbita pepo
Number of Varieties
820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
agricultural 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
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Reddish Plum
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Globe shaped
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Moist, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
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
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water excessively
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
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Allergy
-
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
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
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
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
Cucurbita pepo
Common Name
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
Zucchini, courgette
In Hindi
Opuntia ficus-indica
तोरी
In German
Opuntia ficus-indica
Zucchini
In French
Opuntia ficus-indica
Courgette
In Spanish
Opuntia ficus-indica
calabacín
In Greek
Φραγκοσυκιά
κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
Opuntia ficus-indica
abobrinha
In Polish
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kabaczek
In Latin
Opuntia ficus-indica
zucchini
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Opuntia Mill
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Opuntieae
-
Subfamily
Opuntioideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
2-
1
27800
👆🏻