Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.
- Taxonomy
- Family: Cactaceae · Genus: Opuntia1
- Native distribution
- Caribbean, North America, Oceania, Mexico Southwest, Yopal | Villavicencio, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá, Los Santos | Suaita, Piedecuesta, Globaluncertain3
- Synonyms
- 2
30 synonyms
- Cactus chinensis Roxb.
- Cactus decumanus Willd. ex Schltr.
- Cactus ficus Thunb.
- Cactus ficus-indica L.
- Cactus opuntia Guss.
- Cactus opuntia L.
- Cactus opuntia ficus-indica (L.) DC.
- Cactus opuntia latifolius Risso
- Opuntia apurimacensis (F.Ritter) R.Crook & Mottram
- Opuntia arcei Cárdenas
- Opuntia castillae Griffiths
- Opuntia chinensis (Roxb.) K.Koch
- Opuntia cordobensis Speg.
- Opuntia cordodensis Speg.
- Opuntia ficus-indica reticulata Backeb.
- Opuntia ficus-indica elongata Schelle
- Opuntia ficus-indica saboten Makino
- Opuntia fusicaulis Griffiths
- Opuntia glaucophylla laevior Salm-Dyck
- Opuntia incarnadilla Griffiths
- Opuntia joconostle F.A.C.Weber ex Diguet
- Opuntia labouretiana Console, 1898
- Opuntia leiascheinvariana Martínez-Gonz. & Gallegos
- Opuntia leucostata J.Forbes
- Opuntia leucosticta H.L.Wendl.
- Opuntia maxima Salm-Dyck
- Opuntia maxima Salm-Dyck ex DC.
- Opuntia megacantha Salm-Dyck
- Opuntia megacantha tenuispina Salm-Dyck
- Opuntia mexicana Pfeiff.
Still missing: plant type, natural habitat, height / growth form, flowering period, growth & dormancy period.
Sources (10)
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy – Opuntia ficus-indica · Scientific name · CC BY 4.0
- GBIF – synonyms · Synonyms · CC BY 4.0
- GBIF – distributions (Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS); The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP); Plantas de ocho Biodiverc) · Native distribution · CC BY 4.0
- Wikidata – Q144412 · CC0
- Wikidata – IUCN Red List status (P141) · Conservation status · CC0
- IUCN Red List · Conservation status
- Wikimedia Commons – Opuntia ficus-indica, Springbokvlakte.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wikipedia (hu) – Közönséges fügekaktusz · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikipedia (de) – Opuntia ficus-indica · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikipedia (en) – Opuntia ficus-indica · CC BY-SA 4.0
Automatic data comes from the open sources above, credited per their licences. Care experience is shown separately below.
Tips & experience from members
What worked for you? Your plant’s growing conditions are attached automatically, so others can see who it works for.
No tips for this species yet – be the first to share what worked for you!
How members water it
Not enough logs yet: at least 3 plants with regular watering logs are needed (now: 0). Waterings logged in Care feed this – anonymised and aggregated.
How it thrives
No monthly schedule is shown because cultivar-/species-level data is not yet sufficient. The general values above are guidance only.
Opuntia tip: Its tiny glochids lodge in skin – handle it with tongs or folded newspaper.
Glochids injure skin and mouth. De-spined pads are great tortoise food.
Opuntia ficus-indica – what to know
Opuntia ficus-indica – family: Cactaceae, genus: Opuntia. Native range: Caribbean, North America, Oceania, Mexico Southwest, Yopal | Villavicencio, Jardín Botánico de Bogotá, Los Santos | Suaita, Piedecuesta, Global. Care guidelines: light: full sun; water: low; min. 0 °C. It is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.
All Opuntia species in the catalog →Detailed toxicity data →
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Opuntia ficus-indica?
Sparingly: let the soil dry out completely between waterings, and water even less in winter.
How much light does Opuntia ficus-indica need?
It needs plenty of direct sun – the sunniest window, or outdoors in summer, suits it best.
How cold can Opuntia ficus-indica get?
It tolerates brief, light frost (down to about 0 °C) but needs winter protection.
Is Opuntia ficus-indica toxic to cats and dogs?
It is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.
When does Opuntia ficus-indica flower?
According to the general guideline for the genus Opuntia: Typical flowering time: May, June.
What members’ data shows
When does it really bloom?
No blooms logged yet. If yours flowers, your data will be the first!
Average watering interval
Not enough watering logs yet. Waterings logged in the care hub feed this chart.
Questions about this species
Opuntia
Data sources: GBIF.org – Opuntia ficus-indica (CC BY 4.0) · Wikidata – Q144412 (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons – Opuntia ficus-indica, Springbokvlakte.jpg (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikipedia – Közönséges fügekaktusz (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Care data is for guidance only.

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