Opuntia – The Prickly Pear
Opuntia come in many shapes and sizes. My Opuntia plants all derive from a ‘borrowed’ pad that I grew on more than 10 years ago. I didn’t even think to note the specific name, but it has proven to be extremely useful.
Like many plants, Opuntia can be found in habitats ranging from arid desert to tropical semi-arid woodlands and even in elevated mountainous regions.
Tortoise Food
I have let them grow quite large in the past, but always end up sacrificing pads to keep my tortoises fed when garden weeds become scarce.
To prepare them, simply take a pad and slice it up, after removing the spines with a sharp knife or by burning the spines off over your gas stove.
It isn’t much effort at all, and your tortoises will appreciate it!
Opuntia Form and Function
Given adequate conditions, Opuntia grow into an outstanding specimens. Prickly pear comprise of about a dozen species of the Opuntia genus. They are found widely across North America and all have flat, fleshy pads.
The pads are actually modified branches or stems that serve several functions – water storage, photosynthesis and flower production.
Members of the Opuntia genus are unique because of their clusters of tiny, barbed spines called glochids. Found just above the cluster of regular spines, glochids are yellow or red in color and detach easily from the pads. Glochids are often difficult to see and more difficult to remove, once lodged in the skin. (Please note that care should be taken handling any cacti).
Opuntia Use
There has been medical interest in the Prickly Pear plant. Some studies have shown that the substances contained in the Prickly Pear pulp can help control cholesterol levels and even diabetes. Both fruits and pads of the prickly pear cactus are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fibres that help keep stabilise blood sugar levels.
Opuntias are extensively used for food and other purposes by humans. The fleshy fruit (called tuna in Spanish) of some is edible and tasty. It can be eaten fresh, if care is taken to avoid the glochids on the rind. More often the brilliant red-purple and distinctly-flavored juice is expressed to make drinks, syrup, and jelly. Some prickly pear species are commercially cultivated for fruit production.
