Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Canada
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
28
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, Thickets
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-78-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
430.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Transplanting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, for fruiting plants, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial leaf spot, Cane Spot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Viruses
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
-
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
Sambucus racemosa
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Red Elderberry, Red-berried Elderberry
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Red Elderberry
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Rote Holunder
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Red sureau
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
La baya del saúco roja
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
κόκκινο Elderberry
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Red Elderberry
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Red Elderberry
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
pubens
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dipsacales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caprifoliaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Sambucus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
72
1
27800
👆🏻