A widespread group of paddle-segmented cacti native to the Americas, valued for edible pads and brilliant red fruits that flavor candies and beverages.
Description
Prickly pears form sprawling clumps of flattened paddle-shaped joints called cladodes, set with spines and tufts of glochids. Showy yellow or orange flowers open in spring followed by red purple fruits.
Cultivation
Drought and heat tolerant, prickly pears thrive on rocky soil with sun. They naturalize and can become invasive in dry climates worldwide.
Uses
The pads, called nopales, are eaten in Mexican cuisine while the fruit is sold as tuna. The plant is also used for cochineal dye production and as living fence in arid regions.
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