Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
18
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Alpine Meadows, meadows, Mountains, stream banks
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-88-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
91.40 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson, Pink, Red, Yellow
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Several shades of Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas, Shallow soil
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, From bulbs
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the Soil well drained, occasional watering once established
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Prune after flowering, 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, Compost, Organic Flower Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacteria wilt, Pink Root, Red blotch, Root rot
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Red eyes, Vomiting, wheezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-oxidant, Eczema, hemorrhoids
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes
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
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
Spigelia marilandica
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Woodland pinkroot, Indian pink
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
pinkroot
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Spigelia
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Spigelia
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Loganiceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Spigelia
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
602
1
27800
👆🏻