Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
308
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-78-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Coral
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
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
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Layering, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
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
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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, Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Skin Problems
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
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
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ALNUS rubra
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
red alder
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
rot-Erle
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
aulne rouge
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
aliso rojo
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
amieiro vermelho
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
czerwony olcha
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
red alnus
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Betulaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Alnus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
352
1
27800
👆🏻