Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Cactus or Succulent
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-12
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Itchiness, Sore Throat
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
bilimbi
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
bilimbi
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
Opuntia ficus-indica
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Oxalidales
Caryophyllales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Averrhoa
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Importance of Bilimbi and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Bilimbi and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Bilimbi and Barbary Fig 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 Bilimbi is Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity and Tonic whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Bilimbi has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Bilimbi vs Barbary Fig
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 Bilimbi vs Barbary Fig 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 Bilimbi are Itchiness and Sore Throat whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Bilimbi has no showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Bilimbi is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Bilimbi and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.