Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Sedge or Rush
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Northeastern United States, Western Europe
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
258
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Grassland, moorlands
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-88-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-4
12-5
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Light brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Blue Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long hair-like leaves
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Brown Spots, Galls
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Wildlife
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
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
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used for Landscaping
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
Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CAREX flacca
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
blue sedge, gray carex, glaucous sedge, carnation-grass
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
ब्लू सेज
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Blau-Segge
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Bleu carex
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
azul de la juncia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
μπλε σπαθόχορτο
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
azul Sedge
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
niebieski turzyca
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
blue Sedge
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cyperaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Carex
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
20002
1
27800
👆🏻