Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent, Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
408
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Dry areas, Rocky areas, Sandy areas
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-108-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-7
12-5
Sunset Zone
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
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
610.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Light Green
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive, Gray Green, Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very 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
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Stem Cutting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water frequently
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
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, No fertilizers needed
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Brown Spots, Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil, Sun
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
-
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Decorating walls
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
-
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
Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
YUCCA brevifolia
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
yucca palm
tree yucca
palm tree yucca
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Joshua Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Joshua Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Joshua Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Árbol de Joshua
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Joshua Tree
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Joshua Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Joshua Tree
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Joshua ligno
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Agavaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Yucca
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
502
1
27800
👆🏻