Taxon:  Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.



Summary
Genus:
Opuntia
Family:
Cactaceae
Subfamily:
Opuntioideae
Tribe:
Opuntieae
Nomen number:
25840
Place of publication:
Gard. dict. ed. 8: Opuntia no. 2.  1768
Comment:
an implicit reference to a Linnaean basionym may be assumed fide Shenzhen ICN Art 41.3, Ex. 5
Verified:
08/28/2002 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
0 (0  active, 0  available) in Nordic Baltic Genebanks. 
Other conspecific taxa
Reference(s)
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  8. Brutsch, M. O. & H. G. Zimmermann. 1993. The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica [Cactaceae]) in South Africa: Utilization of the naturalized weed, and of the cultivated plants. Econ. Bot. 47:154-162.
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  17. Felker, P. et al. 2010. Fruit characters among apomictics and sexual progeny of a cross of the Texas native Opuntia lindheimerii (1250) with a commercial fruit type Opuntia ficus-indica (1281). J. Profess. Assoc. Cactus Developm. 12:48-66.
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  40. León, B. 1995. pers. comm. Note: re. Spanish common names
  41. Leuenberger, B. E. 1993. Interpretation and typification of Cactus opuntia L., Opuntia vulgaris Mill., and O. humifusa (Rafin.) Rafin. (Cactaceae). Taxon 42:426.
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  44. Majure, L. C. et al. 2012. Phylogeny of Opuntia s.s. (Cactaceae): Clade delineation, geographic origins, and reticulate evolution. Amer. J. Bot. 99:847-864. Note: a Mexican octoploid apparentlty derived from human-mediated hybridization, and also early dispersed to South America
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Common names
LANGUAGENAMEALTERNATE NAMENOTESEQCITATION
English Barbary-fig 1 Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English Indian-fig 1 Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English Indian-fig prickly-pear 1 Irish, M. 2001. The ornamental prickly pear industry in the southwestern United States. Florida Entomol. 84:484.
English mission cactus 1 Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
English mission prickly-pear 1 FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
English prickly-pear 1 Hackett, C. & J. Carolane. 1982. Edible Horticultural Crops Academic Press.
English smooth mountain prickly-pear 1 Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
English smooth prickly-pear 1 Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
English spineless cactus 1 Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
English sweet prickly-pear 1 Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
English tuberous prickly-pear 1 Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
English tuna cactus 1 FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Afrikaans boereturksvy 2 Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Afrikaans grootdoringturksvy 2 Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
French figuier de Barbarie 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
French figuier d'Inde 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
German Feigenkaktus 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese figo-da-Espanha 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese figo-da-Índia 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese figueira-da-Barbária 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese jamaracá 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese jurumbeba 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese orelha-de-onça 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese palma-de-gado 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese palma-gigante 2 Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Spanish chumba 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish chumbera 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish higuera 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish nopal de Castilla 2 Bravo-Hollis, H. & H. Sánchez-Mejorada. 1978. Las Cactáceas de México, vol. 1 - 1978, vols. 2,3 - 1991 320.
Spanish nopal pelón 2 Bravo-Hollis, H. & H. Sánchez-Mejorada. 1978. Las Cactáceas de México, vol. 1 - 1978, vols. 2,3 - 1991 320.
Spanish tuna 2 León, B. 1995. pers. comm. Note: re. Spanish common names
Spanish tuna de Castilla 2 Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish tuna mansa 2 Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
Swedish fikonkaktus 2 Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNote
2Cultivated    widely cult.
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaCabo Verde  
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands 
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanary Islands 
4NaturalizedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEritrea  
4NaturalizedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  
4NaturalizedAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  
4NaturalizedAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaYemen  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChina s.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece  
4NaturalizedEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly  
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. Corsica
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. Baleares
4NaturalizedNorthern America Mexico  
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSouthwestern U.S.A.United StatesArizona 
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSouthwestern U.S.A.United StatesCalifornia 
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii 
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazil  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanCuba  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanGuadeloupe  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanHispaniola  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanNetherlands Antilles  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanTrinidad and TobagoTrinidad 
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanUnited StatesPuerto Rico 
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaNicaragua  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentina  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaParaguay  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaBolivia  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaEcuador  
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeru  
6Other    probable origin Mexico
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Cabo Verde, Spain [Canary Islands], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia, Yemen
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
  • CHINA: China (s.)
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Greece, Italy
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica)
Northern America
  • SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona, California]
  • REGION: Mexico
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Netherlands Antilles, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Trinidad and Tobago [Trinidad], United States [Puerto Rico]
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Nicaragua
  • BRAZIL: Brazil
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Paraguay
Other (probable origin Mexico)
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodfodder Taylor, N. P. et al. 2002. Realignment and revision of the Opuntioideae of Eastern Brazil. Succ. Pl. Res. 6:130.
Environmentalornamental Irish, M. 2001. The ornamental prickly pear industry in the southwestern United States. Florida Entomol. 84:484.
Fuelsfuelwood FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Human foodbeverage base Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
Human foodfruit Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
Human foodfruitfide Agrociencia 39:395-396. 2005Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption
Human foodvegetableas vegetableVigueras G., A. L. & L. Portillo. 2001. Uses of Opuntia species and the potential impact of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Mexico. Florida Entomol. 84:494.
Invertebrate fooddye-containing insectscochineals used as a source of carmine dyeBrutsch, M. O. & H. G. Zimmermann. 1993. The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica [Cactaceae]) in South Africa: Utilization of the naturalized weed, and of the cultivated plants. Econ. Bot. 47:154-162.
Invertebrate fooddye-containing insectscochineals used as a source of carmine dyeAnderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Weed  Benson, L. 1982. The cacti of the United States and Canada 932.
Weed  Brutsch, M. O. & H. G. Zimmermann. 1993. The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica [Cactaceae]) in South Africa: Utilization of the naturalized weed, and of the cultivated plants. Econ. Bot. 47:154-162.
Weed  Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 499.
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: http://nordic-baltic-genebanks.org/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=25840. Accessed 7 May 2025.