Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)

Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a plant of succulent leaves that can grow 3m – 8m tall and 3m – 8m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica).

This plant has several common names including: edible prickly pear, Indian fig, Barbary fig or tuna.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 10-20 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: edible prickly pear, Indian fig, Barbary fig, tuna
Scientific name: Opuntia ficus-indica
Plant type: Cactus / Succulent, Conservatory & Greenhouse
Habit: Columnar / Upright
Height: 3m – 8m
Spread: 3m – 8m
Foliage: Evergreen
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Patio & Container Garden
Other characteristics: Drought resistant

Seasonal colors

How to plant Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) – Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cacti and succulent plants are appreciated for their natural charm, mainly for their leaf shapes, but also in some cases for their colorful flowers in spring and summer.

They should be cultivated in areas that mimic the conditions in which they grow in nature, which are usually exposed places with stony and fast-draining soils.

These characteristics make them to be grown in pots.

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How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a plant that prefers to grow in loam or sand.

• The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

• Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Opuntia ficus-indica likes to grow in well drained soil.

Sunlight

Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) should be grown in full sun places.

Cultivation profiles – Growing Edible prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) – Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons