Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mexico
Types
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-15
8-12
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Tan
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
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
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
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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 branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Butterflies, Mice
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
-
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Soil protection
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Root
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
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
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Mexican Yam bean
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Pachyrhizus erosus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Yambohne
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Kłębian kątowaty
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Pachyrhizus erosus
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Pachyrhizus erosus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Pachyrhizus erosus
Opuntia ficus-indica
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Pachyrhizus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Importance of Jicama and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Jicama and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Jicama 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 Jicama is Cold, Fever and Inflammation whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Jicama has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin tone while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Improve skin tone.
Compare Facts of Jicama 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 Jicama 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 Jicama are Irritation to stomach and Itchiness whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Jicama has showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Jicama is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Jicama and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.