Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
South America
Mexico
Types
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
548
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Semi desert
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
13,21,22,23,24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
12.50 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Pink
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
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
All year
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Sand, Sandy
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Sandy
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Offsets
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
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
Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Dry
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Mealybugs
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes
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, Showy Tree
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
GYMNOCALYCIUM
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Chin Cactus
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Gymnocalycium
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Gymnocalycium
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Trichocereeae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
542
1
27800
👆🏻