Opuntia ficus-indica (Sweet Prickly Pear, Barbary Fig, Cactus Pear, Indian Fig, Indian Fig Prickly Pear, Mission Cactus, Mission Prickly Pear, Panini, Prickly Pear, Prickly Pear Cactus, Prickly-pear, Smooth Mountain Prickly Pear, Smooth Prickly Pear, Spineless Cactus)
Botanical Information
Family | Cactaceae |
Genus | Opuntia |
Species | ficus-indica |
Synonyms | Cactus ficus-indica Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 468. 1753; C. opuntia Linnaeus; Opuntia compressa J. F. Macbride; O. vulgaris Miller |
Category | Perennials, Tropicals |
Origin | Native to Mexico. |
Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | Used for food, medicine, livestock feed, fencing, an ornamental, and an indirect source of dye. |
Details
USDA Hardiness Zone | 8b - 10b |
USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cool season protection under glass. |
Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
RHS Hardiness Zone | H4 - H1c |
RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
Temperature (°C) | (-9.4) - 1.7 |
Temperature (°F) | 15 - 35 |
Height | 3 - 6 m, and trunk diameter is 30-45 cm. |
Spread | 1 m |
Growth | Medium |
Flowering Period | April, May, June, July |
Description and Growing Information
Shape | Upright spreading. |
Landscape | Among potted succulent collections, as a potted patio or indoor plant, in rock gardens as a tree-shaped succulent or as a specimen. |
Propagation | By stem cuttings (rooting pads) and seed. |
Cultivation | Grow in full sun in gravelly, dry, well-draining loose soil. |
Pests | None known. Rot may occur if soil is too wet. |
Notable Specimens | The University of Alberta Botanic Garden, Devon, Alberta, Canada. Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. |
Habitat | Dry slopes, plains and rocky outcroppings. |
Bark/Stem Description | Highly spiny, slightly woody and robust succulent bark. Spines resemble long thick hairs and cover the entire bark surface. |
Leaf Description | Fleshy succulent bodies with short, thin hair-like spines. |
Flower Description | Showy cup-shaped blooms with 10 - 20 pinnate-forked petals arranged in a loose rosette formation. |
Fruit Description | Oblong-ovate prickly pears borne after blooms on succulent bodies. |
Colour Description | Sage green succulent bodies with silvery-white spines. Tan-brown bark. Red to crimson red blooms. Dull dark reddish-brown prickly pears. |
Texture Description | Coarse. |
Photographs
![Opuntia ficus-indica form, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. Opuntia ficus-indica form, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-hpl-frm1.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica form, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
![Opuntia ficus-indica leaf, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. Opuntia ficus-indica leaf, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-hpl-lf1.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica leaf, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
![Opuntia ficus-indica, flower. Opuntia ficus-indica, flower.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-flw.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica, flower.
![Opuntia ficus-indica, fruit. Opuntia ficus-indica, fruit.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-frt.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica, fruit.
![Opuntia ficus-indica, leaf. Opuntia ficus-indica, leaf.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-frm2.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica, leaf.
![Opuntia ficus-indica, seedling. Opuntia ficus-indica, seedling.](photos/Opuntia-ficus-indica-sd.jpg)
Opuntia ficus-indica, seedling.