Opuntia monacantha Haw.
- Taxonomy
- Family: Cactaceae · Genus: Opuntia1
- Native distribution
- North America, Oceania, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil South, Paraguay, Uruguay, Global, Brazil, Franceuncertain3
- Synonyms
- 2
4 synonyms
- Opuntia arechevaletae Speg.
- Opuntia lemaireana Console ex F.A.C.Weber
- Opuntia lemaireana Console, 1898
- Opuntia monocantha (Willd.) Haw.
Opuntia monacantha, commonly known as drooping prickly pear, cochineal prickly pear, or Barbary fig, is a species of plant in the family Cactaceae native to South America.
Still missing: plant type, natural habitat, height / growth form, flowering period, growth & dormancy period.
Sources (9)
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy – Opuntia monacantha · Scientific name · CC BY 4.0
- GBIF – synonyms · Synonyms · CC BY 4.0
- GBIF – distributions (Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS); The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP); The IUCN Red List of Thre) · Native distribution · CC BY 4.0
- Wikidata – Q311192 · CC0
- Wikidata – IUCN Red List status (P141) · Conservation status · CC0
- IUCN Red List · Conservation status
- Wikimedia Commons – Opuntia monacantha.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wikipedia (de) – Opuntia monacantha · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikipedia (en) – Opuntia monacantha · CC BY-SA 4.0
Automatic data comes from the open sources above, credited per their licences. Care experience is shown separately below.
Tips & experience from members
What worked for you? Your plant’s growing conditions are attached automatically, so others can see who it works for.
No tips for this species yet – be the first to share what worked for you!
How members water it
Not enough logs yet: at least 3 plants with regular watering logs are needed (now: 0). Waterings logged in Care feed this – anonymised and aggregated.
How it thrives
No monthly schedule is shown because cultivar-/species-level data is not yet sufficient. The general values above are guidance only.
Opuntia tip: Its tiny glochids lodge in skin – handle it with tongs or folded newspaper.
Glochids injure skin and mouth. De-spined pads are great tortoise food.
Opuntia monacantha – what to know
Opuntia monacantha – family: Cactaceae, genus: Opuntia. Native range: North America, Oceania, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil South, Paraguay, Uruguay, Global, Brazil, France. Care guidelines: light: full sun; water: low; min. 5 °C. It is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.
All Opuntia species in the catalog →Detailed toxicity data →
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Opuntia monacantha?
Sparingly: let the soil dry out completely between waterings, and water even less in winter.
How much light does Opuntia monacantha need?
It needs plenty of direct sun – the sunniest window, or outdoors in summer, suits it best.
How cold can Opuntia monacantha get?
Keep it above 5 °C – it is frost-tender and needs a frost-free spot in winter.
Is Opuntia monacantha toxic to cats and dogs?
It is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.
When does Opuntia monacantha flower?
According to the general guideline for the genus Opuntia: Typical flowering time: May, June.
What members’ data shows
When does it really bloom?
No blooms logged yet. If yours flowers, your data will be the first!
Average watering interval
Not enough watering logs yet. Waterings logged in the care hub feed this chart.
Questions about this species
Opuntia
Data sources: GBIF.org – Opuntia monacantha (CC BY 4.0) · Wikidata – Q311192 (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons – Opuntia monacantha.jpg (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikipedia – Opuntia monacantha (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Care data is for guidance only.

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