Prickly Pear

Opuntia spp.

Cactaceae

The beginnings of this article by Faith originally appeared on Nature Around Matagorda Bay.

Most people who have grown up in the South or Southeast Texas area are familiar with this cactus. It grows throughout the state in fields, pastures, and even along the beach. The flat "leaves" or "pads" make an excellent cooked vegetable when young and tender. At this stage they are called "nopalitos". The nopalitos are mild and mucilaginous, similar to okra. They even have the same thickening effect on soups and stews. The flowers range from yellow to a dark salmon color. They are located along the margin on the top edge of the pads. The red, maroon or purplish fruits (also known as tunas) are cylinder-shaped and develop below the flower. Prickly pears are grown for food in Mexico, Greece and Italy. You can find both the pads and the pears in the produce department of most large supermarkets and at farmer's markets.

Note: The edible species of Opuntia have flat leaves. The inedible "chollas" have cylindrical leaves. There are no poisonous look-alikes of the Prickly Pear.

Health/Medicinal :

The fruit contains lots of potassium and beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus. The pads provide beta-carotene and potassium, and the seeds are high in protein and oils. The pads soothe the stomach and are good for the lungs and kidneys. The fruit is a gentle diuretic, used in treating kidney stones and ulcers. Don't be surprised though, if after eating the fruit, your urine turns a crimson color for a short time - this is normal. The pads can be peeled and used as a poultice for wounds.

Did you know?

• There are downy spines on the fruit and nopalitos. Harvest them in potato or flour sacks, and be sure to wear leather gloves and long, thick pants. Twist the fruits from the pads so that the pad is not torn.
  
• The roasted seeds have a nutty flavor and can be ground and used as flour or soup thickener.
  
• Deer and javelinas forage on prickly pear.
  
• Various Indian tribes gathered the fruit, sliced off the ends, sliced the fruits down one side, and dried the pulp in the sun. It was then preserved for use during the winter.
  
• A bug called the "cochineal" bug lives on prickly pear pads. These bugs are dried and used as a brilliant colorfast, lightfast red dye on wool and cotton.
  
• Ranchers burn spines off prickly pears in times of drought. With this done, they are a ready fodder for cattle.

Edibility :

Harvest the young pads by grasping them with tongs and slicing them at the stem joints. Hold the pads over a flame to singe both the long spines and the glochids, then scrape off any remaining spines with a knife. Rinse the pads well, and check them thoroughly for any tiny spines that may cling to the surface. Slice the pads into thin strips, and drop them into boiling water to cook for about ten minutes. Drain off the water, and rinse the nopalitos to wash off some of the slippery gum. The nopalitos are now ready to use. If you use older pads, remove the tough skin by scraping it off with a knife, and cut out the more fibrous sections.

Note: If you choose to harvest from the wild, PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE. Don't over harvest. Take only small amounts from individual areas. Remember that the wildlife and ecosystem depend on the cactus and fruit more than you do. After all, you don't want to take so many that there won't be any to harvest next year!

Recipes :

- Prickly Pear Preserves
- Nopalitos and Huevos Rancheros
- Fried Nopalitos for Two
- Nopalitos Gumbo
- Prickly Pear Jelly
- Dracula's Delight - Prickly Pear Sauce
- Prickly Pear Sorbet

In my experience, the recipes may need to be altered slightly depending on the moisture content of the fruit/pads. This is a variable dependent on how much water the cactus received in the season before harvest.

Warning: Too many prickly pear pads eaten at one time can cause diarrhea. The pads contain oxalic acid, which can hinder calcium absorption. Too much of the raw fruit can cause constipation in some people. And the most important warning about prickly pears. Watch out for the spines! Even if you purchase the pads or fruit in a supermarket, check them for prickles before eating. Promptly remove any spines embedded in your skin. Keep a close eye out for the downy spines (glochids) also. They are easy to miss when cleaning.

Behind the Name :

There are at least 27 species of the genus Opuntia that are found in Texas. All species of Opuntia the official state plant of Texas. There are about 200 species in the genus Opuntia. They do need to managed somewhat though. There are some species that are considered noxious weeds (in Australia for example).

There are four species of this genus that grow in the Texas coastal area in the Matagorda and Brazoria county region:

1. Opuntia compressa - usually only about 3 joints tall (falls over after that)
2. Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri - up to 10'+; many clusters of spines
3. Opuntia macrorhiza - white or gray spines
4. Opuntia stricta - mostly spineless

Opuntia -

Named after Opus in Greece (an area where other cactus-like plants were grown Named for George Engelmann, 19th century German-born physician and botanist who worked in St. Louis

compressa-

Guess what it means? Yep - compressed. It refers to the growth habit of the plant.

engelmannii-

Named for German-born George Engelmann, a 19th century botanist and physician

lindheimeri-

Named for Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, 19th century German political exile who lived and collected plants in Texas

macrorhiza -

From macro (large) and rhiza (root); large-rooted

stricta -

From strictus (pulled together, close; rigid); Upright

Synonym for Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri: Opuntia lindheimeri.

Tags :

native Texas cactus, Texas native cactus, native Texas wildflower, Texas native wildflower, Texas state plant, native plant, perennial, full sun, partial shade, spring flowers, fall fruit, large flowers, yellow flowers, orange flowers, peach flowers, showy flowers, medicinal plant, edible plant, edible leaves, garden worthy, colony forming, propagate by cutting, desert, coastal, dunes, pastures, fields, sandy soils, wildlife food, livestock fodder, Cactus family

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Opuntia genus
• USDA PLANTS Database: Opuntia genus profile
• Flora of North America: key to the Opuntia genus