Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable, Vines
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Mexico
Types
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
88
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
1-68-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
91.44 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
609.60 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Early Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Well drained
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, 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
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Beetles, Bugs
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
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
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
चीनी कद्दू
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
chinesisch Kürbis
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
potiron chinois
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
calabaza china
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
abóbora chinês
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Chiński dyni
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Chinese cucurbita
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Cucurbiteae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
92
1
27800
👆🏻