Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs, Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mediterranean, Northern Africa
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
258
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Temperate Regions
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-88-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8 - 5
12-5
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
10.20 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires regular 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
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
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, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch, Slugs, Snails
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Snails
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
Antiseptic, Astringent
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SALVIA argentea
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Silver Clary, Silver Sage
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
रजत बाबा
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Silver Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Silver Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
silver Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Silver Sage
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
silver Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
silver Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Argentum Sage
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Salvia
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Mentheae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
9002
1
27800
👆🏻