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Plants

spineless cactus

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.

Family: Cactaceae · Genus: Opuntia

Indian fig, prickly pear

Placenta II Low
JMK · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Introduced cactus widely cultivated in the Brazilian semiarid as strategic fodder reserve. CAM metabolism gives extremely high water-use efficiency, producing biomass even during prolonged droughts.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Cactus ficus-indica L., Opuntia megacantha Salm-Dyck, Opuntia maxima Mill., Opuntia paraguayensis K.Schum., Platyopuntia ficus-indica (L.) F.Ritter

Other common names: Barbary fig, cactus pear, nopal

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta II
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Low
Strata
Low, Ground cover

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Low
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
None
Soil pH range
6–7.5
Preferred soil texture
Sandy, Loamy
Hardiness zones
9–11
Frost tolerance
-7.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
2–5 m
Root system
Lateral
Root depth
Shallow
Growth rate
Moderate
Time to first harvest
36 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Spineless cactus takes the Low stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium Low · ≈5 m Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Requires excellent drainage — wet cold and waterlogging rot the cladodes; withhold irrigation in autumn/winter. Propagated easily from cladodes (pads) left to callus before planting. Triple-row arrangements at 40,000 plants/ha maximize green-matter yield in the semiarid. Susceptible to cochineal scale (Dactylopius opuntiae); resistant clones (Orelha-de-elefante mexicana, Miúda/Doce) are recommended.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October

Fruiting months: December, January, February

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of spineless cactus?

The first harvest of spineless cactus comes around 36 months after planting.

How tall does spineless cactus grow?

At maturity, spineless cactus reaches 2–5 m tall.

When does spineless cactus fruit?

Fruiting of spineless cactus occurs in December, January, February.

When does spineless cactus flower?

Flowering of spineless cactus occurs in August, September, October.

What stage and stratum does spineless cactus occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, spineless cactus belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

Fodder 🍎 Fruit Living fence

Propagation

Cutting, Seed

Citations

  1. Manejo e utilização da palma forrageira (Opuntia e Nopalea) em Pernambuco — IPA
  2. Production of Spineless Cactus in Brazilian Semiarid — IntechOpen
  3. PFAF Plant Database — Opuntia ficus-indica (ph_min, ph_max, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, soil_texture_preference, light_need, propagation, phenology)
  4. Feedipedia — Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) (root_system, root_depth, frost_tolerance_c, drought_tolerance, height_min_m, height_max_m, time_to_first_harvest_months, nitrogen_fixer, waterlogging_tolerance)
  5. Plants of the World Online (POWO/Kew) — Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (scientific_author, family, genus, synonyms)
  6. Cultivares de Palma Forrageira sob Diferentes Arranjos e Densidades de Plantio — Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física (UFPE) (cultivation_notes)

External references

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