Prickly Pear aka Nopal cactus
clarkinks
9 years ago
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clarkinks
9 years agoNoogy
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Wanted: Prickly Pear Cactus Cuttings
Comments (3)I can trade a couple of spineless prickly pear cactus "feet" or butt end after the pad has been cut off. I was told that if I plant those, new pads will emerge. I also have a few Goji berries to share. I plan to plant the seeds this year as I am gaga over these berries. I will trade a few of those. Would that work? If so or not, please let me know where I send a mailer to. Thanks so much!!!...See MoreAnyone growing Prickly Pear (Opuntia) for its fruit?
Comments (31)Where are you located Annamaria? This will dictate everything. If you are in a mild climate, you won't want to bother with one of the wild species, but should definitely get a cultivar of Opuntia ficus-indica. These should be readily available from warm-climate nurseries. If you're in a colder zone, you could try Opuntia engelmannii or related wild types. Many of these are available through mail order nurseries specializing in cacti and succulents as well as unusual edibles. I see that Edible Landscaping sells one that is hardy to zone 7. Of course, anywhere in the arid but not-too-cold western part of the country you are likely to see some growing wild or as part of landscaping. Just collect some pads from a variety of plants and wait a year or two to taste the fruit!...See MorePrickly Pear Cactus Pads??
Comments (9)I live in Texas. They are all over here...LOL. If you are interested in eating them, and you do find a source, look for "spineless". I have some spineless in my front yard. Even the spineless have spines. The traditional method to remove the spines is to run a blow torch over the pads. They are the ultimate health food!!! I eat them raw, and they taste pretty good. They taste a little bit like a sweet rhubarb. (By that I mean, they taste like rhubarb without the "sour") When I lived in Wisconsin, we had this patch of rhubarb. Prickly pear reminds me a bit of our rhubarb patch. They are also the ultimate "soil amendment". I will sometimes crush them up and put them into my beds before planting. If you can't find any, I could probably mail you a few pads. If you are interested, just respond here, and I'll post an email address....See MoreIs this prickly pear?
Comments (3)It is an opuntia, but not the standard prickly pear with the edible fruits. It looks like one I have (also a "rescue") which I think is nopalea (or Opuntia) cochenillifera. Very interesting cactus, grows very fast. I'd let it sit for a few days or so, before planting. Mine prefer a shadier spot, one I had in full sun next to a south-facing wall burned....See Morehaldogg
9 years agofabaceae_native
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9 years agofabaceae_native
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9 years agoclarkinks
9 years ago
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