Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Mexico
Types
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
18
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Well Drained
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Purple
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Cuttings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the Soil well drained, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
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, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Buddha's Hand
Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Buddhas Hand
Baum
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Mano de Buda
Árbol
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Mão de Buda
Árvore
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Buddha manus
Arbor
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Rutaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Citrus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
12
1
27800
👆🏻