Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Mexico
Types
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
508
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-158-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
30.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Yellow
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
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
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
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, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in summer, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Drought
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Skin cuts
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
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, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Echinocactus
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Echinocactus
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Cacteae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
112
1
27800
👆🏻