Wikimedia Commons
Cactaceae
Opuntia Flower
Opuntia ficus-indica
Strength through adversity and warmth.
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Opuntia
- Native to
- Mexico, Central America
- Bloom season
- Late Spring, Summer
- Type
- succulent perennial cactus
- Height
- 6-15 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- sandy, rocky, very well-drained
- Water
- very low; extremely drought-tolerant
- Hardiness
- 8-11
- Lifespan
- perennial; can live over 100 years
Did you know
- The prickly pear cactus is depicted on the Mexican flag and coat of arms — an eagle perched on one eating a serpent.
- Both the pads (nopales) and the colorful fruits (tunas) are widely eaten in Mexican cuisine.
- A parasitic scale insect (cochineal) that lives on opuntia pads produces carmine, a brilliant red dye worth more than gold to the Aztecs.
- A single pad dropped on the ground can root and grow into a new plant, making it highly invasive in dry regions.
- In Sicily and North Africa, opuntia hedges serve as living fences that are impenetrable to livestock.
Color meanings
0
endurance
1
warmth
2
protection