Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-12
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Crimson
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
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
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is 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 pH
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
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
Matte
Matte
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Kracher penstemon
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Opuntia ficus-indica
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Importance of Firecracker Penstemon and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Firecracker Penstemon and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Firecracker Penstemon 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 Firecracker Penstemon is Burns, Snakebite and Stomach aliments whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Firecracker Penstemon has beauty benefits as follows: while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Firecracker Penstemon 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 Firecracker Penstemon 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 Firecracker Penstemon are Asthma whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Firecracker Penstemon has no showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Firecracker Penstemon is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Firecracker Penstemon and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.