Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Mexico
Types
-
Opuntia ficus-indica
Number of Varieties
208
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Woodland Garden Canopy
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-118-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 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
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,830.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
8.50 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Sandy Brown
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Sandy Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
oblong or obovate
Globe shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, 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
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Blackspot mold
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Beetles, Birds
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Miscarriage, Rash
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Beautiful Skin, Heals Damaged Hair, Strong, beautiful hair
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Demulcent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Nutritive
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Chewed as a thirst quencher, Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as a thickener in soups, Used to make a twine
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
Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ULMUS rubra
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Slippery Elm
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
Slippery Elm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Rotulme
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Slippery Elm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
olmo resbaladizo
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Slippery Elm
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Slippery Elm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Slippery Elm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Lubricus Elm
Opuntia ficus-indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Urticales
Caryophyllales
Family
Ulmaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Ulmus
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Opuntieae
Subfamily
-
Opuntioideae
Number of Species
202
1
27800
👆🏻