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Arizona Gardening

Where to find cactus plant varieties with best cactus pear fruit

11 years ago

I have a couple of prickly pear cactuses that I've grown and they're the regular ones you see around with the magenta fruits. Mine are look great, but they are just not that tasty, in fact they're not very sweet at all in September. If I leave them on until almost winter (they don't make it because people just help themselves) then they taste quite a bit better. I have bought at the Ranch Market, these big green cactus pears that are very yummy. they're the kind that you chop off the two ends and slice through the skin, peel the outer layer off the core and eat the core. The core has fairly large seeds compared to the regular prickly pears. it tastes sweet, somewhat watermellony. Does anyone know where I can find pads or plants, varieties of prickly pear that make a really good fruit? It seems like nobody knows anything about this around here. In mexico they sell the fruits in the markets and they really taste very good, especially chilled.

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Comments (12)

AJBB
11 years ago
Like figs, there are a lot of different varieties of prickly pears. They look alike, but the flavors are different. I had the same problem and ended up buying seeds from a seller on eBay and had to grow the tastier varieties myself.
greendesert
Original Author
11 years ago
So AJBB, what varieties do you have? and would you have any pads to sell or trade? I have done some research and there are several varieties that look tempting to me. (all from mexico so they have spanish names):

Reyna (white/light green flesh),
Cristalina (white/light green flesh. I believe I've had this fruit and it was delicious and juicy)
Rojo Pelon (red flesh)
Amarilla Montesa (yellow flesh)
Fafayuco (this one scored higher in sweetness)
Naranjona (yellow orange)

here's one link that mentions some of these
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/v3-446.html
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Well, if you want fresh you need to wait a few mos. They ripen up here in august - oct. I know there's a big hedgerow of them on Penny road, from the lake wheeler rd side about 2 miles up, and also one up on western blvd, close to blue ridge road. You could stop and ask if they minded if you harvest. Have you checked latino markets & stores? If anyone had them, esp canned, it would be them. There's a big 'international market' up the hill, on the left behind the wendy's, on 401/70 right after they join in garner (heading north). I haven't been myself, but TJohn was telling me about it. I'd check somewhere like that first. Also, I haven't noticed the fruits being sold, but it makes sense they might get them in at the farmer's market on the bulk end. There's a latino section on the left side of the 'drive in welcome' building and they often have the pads. You could ask if they get in the fruit, but i bet they do. It's riley's produce.
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You all beat me to it. Carefully! I thought the tuna was the new leaves, which is edible. I don't know if you can burn the spines off the fruit? Father Nicholas. Perhaps another way to get the spines out of the fruit-- Use a tweezer and pull them out. I work as a volunteer at the Huntington Gardens, San Marino, I have eaten a few and they were very good. You may try to take the seeds out with a tweezer before you try and eat the fruit. Make sure they are soft to the touch, also fertilizer may sweeten them for next year, the fruit can be red, yellow, orange. Some are larger than others depending on the species. If you need receipes I will be glad to send them to you. Norma
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Pagancat
11 years ago
May I suggest taking the yummy ones and planting the seeds from them? It might take a little longer, but unless they're hybrids, you have exactly what you want.
greendesert
Original Author
11 years ago
yeah I did save some seeds, but I've always been a fan of vegetative propagation. It's just the sure thing. With seeds, if it's a hybrid (and you never know with store bought fruit), it's a crapshoot.
sundrop07
11 years ago
You might want to check out growing cacti commercially in israel. Their water situation is similar to ours and they're producing tons of fruit in the desert there, prickly pear and cereus peruvianus (sp?). The cereus looks like ones I see all over my neighborhood loaded with fruit that isn't used and that's a shame if it's as good as touted. http://www.localharvest.org/cereus-peruvianus-kubo-apple-cactus-C11497
http://video.answers.com/commercial-cultivation-of-the-cactus-plant-506875420

Here is a link that might be useful: Local Harvest
Pagancat
11 years ago
Cereus peruvianus is definitely a popular landscape plant in Phoenix.
Pagancat
11 years ago
Oh, and there is a talk at the DBG by a guy from Israel this coming Monday - see the thread "Interesting talk" or something like that (I don't remember my own thread, *sigh*)
AJBB
11 years ago
Greendesert,

I have Cristalina (Zarca).

Here's another site with the other varieties:

http://thinkmexican.org/post/5888012828/the-many-varieties-of-tunas
Haname
11 years ago
AJBB, do you have cuttings available?
greendesert
Original Author
11 years ago
oh man, those look very tempting AJBB. I'm very much interested in Cristalina if you have a source. I don't know what variety I have. I just stole a pad from the side of the road.
YvonnesMom
11 years ago
AJBB, Hello from your neighbors in NM ! Do you sell cuttings, or have any available of Cristalina?? I love the tunas, but can't seem to find that cactus variety anywhere here. If you have any, or know where I can purchase it online, please let me know, thanks, and Happy New Year to all!

Blessings,
YvonnesMom
HU-111905664
5 years ago
I apologize for bumping this thread, does anyone have Cristalina (Zarca) that he can share/sell. Thank you!

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