Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Eastern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia
Mexico
Types
Mareer, Manjak
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
Saline Soils, Sandy areas
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
8-12
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Gold, Orange Red
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Light Green, Chocolate
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
Oval
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove damaged 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
Root rot, Snails
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought and Salt
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Dizziness, Throat itching, Vomiting
-
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Making cosmetics, used as a dye
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
Absorbs greenhouse gases, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Aging, Hair Loss
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Making Shampoo, Showy Purposes, Used as Biofuel, 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
Edible, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CORDIA subcordata
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Beach Cordia, Island Walnut, Kou, Sea Trumpet
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Cordia subcordata
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Cordia subcordata
Opuntia ficus-indica
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Boraginaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Cordia
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Importance of Kou and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Kou and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Kou 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 Kou is Acne, Aging and Hair Loss whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Kou has beauty benefits as follows: Making cosmetics and used as a dye while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Making cosmetics and used as a dye.
Compare Facts of Kou 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 Kou 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 Kou are Dizziness, Throat itching and Vomiting whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Kou has no showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Kou is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Kou and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.