Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Sedge or Rush
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
-
Mexico
Types
Mexican Papyrus, Dwarf Papyrus, Giant Papyrus
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
88
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, tropical environments, Tropical regions, Wet ground, Wet lands
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 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
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly 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
Red blotch
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
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
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
पेपिरस संयंत्र
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Papyrus-Pflanze
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
usine papyrus
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
planta del papiro
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
πάπυρο
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
planta do papiro
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Papyrus roślin
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
cHARTA
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Agaricomycetes
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cyperaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Cyperus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Cariceae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Cyperoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
82
1
27800
👆🏻