Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Mexico
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
258
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-108-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 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
30.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, 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, Full 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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
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, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Mexican Hat
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Mexican Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Caryophyllales
Family
Asteraceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
142
1
27800
👆🏻