Opuntia monacantha, more commonly known as Barbary fig, cochineal prickly pear or drooping prickly pear, is native to South America.
It is an erect fleshy succulent plant that can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) tall. Its big trunk grows flat round-shaped branches at the top with drooping upper branches. Both its trunks and branches have multiple pointy spines of about 1-3 inches (3-7 cm) long that might grow in groups of 2 or 3. Its leaves are small and shed annually.
O. monacantha produces showy yellow or orange red flowers from late spring to early autumn. Its fruits are green when immature and turn into fleshy purple red berries as they age.
All of the plants may be shipped bare root.
Full sun. Direct sunlight is necessary.
A very low amount of water is required. Hot and dry atmosphere is best for Opuntia monacantha so overwatering could lead to root rot.
Porous and well-drained potting soil.
You can propagate either by cuttings or by seed.
Hardiness: Hardy to 32°F
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* Minimalist Pot Options: White/ Oatmeal/ Gray colors are randomly picked
* Grower pot option is plastic pot, the color of the plastic pot will be random (brown, black, white or green)
* We use 3.5 inch wide clay pots for 4" succulent plant + clay pot option.
Your plant will be carefully wrapped in a sturdy box. Most of the succulents will be shipped bare-root to ensure their safety. If you want to receive the plastic pot & soil, please leave a note in your order. When opening your package, some soil may be loose in the box. Plant orders are shipped within 3-5 days depending on the availability of the plant. We ship our plants Monday through Friday, all twelve months of the year! If you need your order urgently, please message us so we can upgrade your shipping (additional cost applied). We do not ship outside of the continental United States.
We ship all year round, if your area is cold (under 40 degree), please consider purchasing a Heat Pack to add to your order.
Our packaging materials are: - 100% recyclable and biodegradable cardboard boxes. - 100% biodegradable packing peanuts made from natural and non-toxic sources.
Here is our blog about the shipping process and packaging: https://succulentsbox.com/pages/shipping-return-policy
*** The size options are represtentative of pots that the plants come in. Sometimes customer may receive multiple plants instead of a large one to make up size.
*** All of our packages are sterilized before leaving the door.
We only ship out beautiful, healthy plants! Please track your package and open it immediately upon
arrival. If you receive your package and are not satisfied, please message us immediately. Fragile plants such as
bearpaw, baby toe, etc. may break or loose a few of their leaves during transport. Please contact us for
replacements if your plants are severely damaged. We'll try our best to accommodate you.
Plants may be slightly larger or smaller than the pot they are grown in, depending on availability or time of year.
Green Thumb Guarantee
Worried about plant care? We’ve got you covered! If your plant care goes haywire within 6 months of your order, you can claim a $15 gift card for your plant. How it works:
For each plant, you can receive a gift card.
The more plants you order, the more you can claim, up to a maximum of $50 gift card per order.
One-time claim per order.
For subscriptions, you can claim once per subscription.
Provide porous soil with adequate drainage, pots with drainage hole are recommended. Bright, filtered
light and ample airflow. Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Never let your succulents sit in water. Do
NOT water on the leaves. If you water from beneath by letting the plant sit in a saucer of water, make sure to pour
off any excess water after a few minutes.
The hotter it is outside, the faster your soil will dry out, so you’ll need to water more often if you live in a hot
area. Water with caution in winter, as the plant can lose its roots if the soil stays cold and wet for extended
periods; protect from frost to prevent scarring.
Opuntia monacantha, more commonly known as Barbary fig, cochineal prickly pear or drooping prickly pear, is native to South America.
It is an erect fleshy succulent plant that can grow up to 16 feet (5 m) tall. Its big trunk grows flat round-shaped branches at the top with drooping upper branches. Both its trunks and branches have multiple pointy spines of about 1-3 inches (3-7 cm) long that might grow in groups of 2 or 3. Its leaves are small and shed annually. 
O. monacantha produces showy yellow or orange red flowers from late spring to early autumn. Its fruits are green when immature and turn into fleshy purple red berries as they age.
All of the plants may be shipped bare root.
Full sun. Direct sunlight is necessary. 
A very low amount of water is required. Hot and dry atmosphere is best for Opuntia monacantha so overwatering could lead to root rot. 
Porous and well-drained potting soil. 
You can propagate either by cuttings or by seed.
Hardiness: Hardy to 32°F