Opuntia ficus-indica
The story
For centuries, this plant has been woven into agricultural history. Likely originating in central Mexico where its closest genetic relatives reside, it has traveled the globe to earn a multitude of names. In English, it is known as the Indian Fig or Barbary fig, while Spanish speakers call it Chumbera, Nopal, or Tuna, reflecting its deep cultural integration across different continents.
Sources: Wikidata, en.wikipedia.org
- Family
- Cactaceae
How to use it
This species is cultivated primarily as a commercial fruit crop and for the production of the vegetable nopales. Because of its exceptional ability to efficiently convert water into biomass, it is widely grown in arid and semiarid agricultural economies.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
In the kitchen
This plant is highly valued as a food source. It is grown primarily as a fruit crop, and it is also cultivated for its edible vegetable portions, known as nopales.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
About
Opuntia ficus-indica, the Indian fig opuntia, fig opuntia, or prickly pear, is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant grown in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. O. ficus-indica is the most widespread and most commercially important cactus. It is grown primarily as a fruit crop, and also for the vegetable nopales and other uses. Cacti are good crops for dry areas because they efficiently convert water into biomass. O. ficus-indica is the most widespread of the long-domesticated cactuses. Opuntia species hybridize easily, but the wild origin of O. ficus-indica is likely to have been in central Mexico, where its closest genetic relatives are found.
Ecology
How it lives
- Propagated by
- Seed
Full detailsevery field on the record, to copy
- Name
- Opuntia ficus-indica
- Slug
- opuntia-ficus-indica
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Genus
- Opuntia
- Species
- ficus-indica
- Wikidata QID
- Q144412
- Propagule type
- seed
- Container suitable
- No
- Indoor suitable
- No
- OSSI pledged
- No
- Hazard level
- 1
- Data completeness
- 43
Generated sections & citations
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- wikidata (common_name)
- wikipedia (description.summary) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica
fun_facts_adultllm_gemini · confidence 1.00
- wikipedia (description.summary) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica
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- wikipedia (description.summary) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica
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- wikidata (common_name)
- wikidata (common_name)
- wikidata (common_name)
- wikidata (common_name)
- wikidata (common_name)
- wikipedia (description.summary) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica
how_to_usellm_gemini · confidence 1.00
- wikipedia (description.summary) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia_ficus-indica