Indian Fig Cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica
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| Indian Fig Cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica: April 25, 2005, Arrowhead Ranch |
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| Indian Fig Cactus Opuntia ficus-indica | Indian Fig Cactus Flowers Opuntia ficus-indica |
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Indian Fig Cactus Opuntia like many others is a trouble free plant to maintain. It is extremely drought tolerant, cold hardy and a fast grower. Extra water during the dry summer months is encouraged but seldom needed. It is easily attacked by the cactus beetle, and can be infested by Cochineal insects that can eventually kill or damage the stems. Extra care should be given to avoid those predators. The fruit is a big favorite among the bird population during August. These flat -shaped, usually needle-less pads stand up attached to a central stalk. They can drop over to the ground. When the pads have contact with the soil underneath, they will sometimes separate from the mother plant and take root on their own. The pads then grow upward and outward, the new plants forming cacti 15 feet high and up to 10 feet around. Like other cacti, the prickly pear is a succulent. It stores water in the flesh of its pads to survive in the arid heat of the desert. During droughts ranchers burn off the spines and feed prickly pears to their livestock. Because they contain so much water, they can even replace the animals’ drinking water. Sheep have been known to survive on nothing but prickly pear for up to 8 months. The pads of the prickly pear are actually modified branches or stems. They store the water, carry on photosynthesis and produce flowers. Distinctive of the brown-spined prickly pear, the pads are bluish-green in color and oblong in shape. They grow between 4 to 6 inches wide. Sometime in late April to June the prickly pears bloom. The yellow flowers often have red streaks around the base and grow to about 3 to 4 inches wide. Each pad produces several flowers, and when the blooms fade they give way to red, fleshy fruit. The fruit will stay on the plant until it is picked by man, animal or bird. Both the fruit and the pads of the prickly pear are edible and used in many ways. The fresh, many-seeded fruit is called "cactus apple" or "tuna," and it is eaten raw or made into drinks. People enjoy the fruit raw or cooked, boiled into jelly, or even fermented to make alcohol. The fruits are called cactus pears, prickly pears or tunas. Full of tiny black seeds that are edible, many Native Americans would dry out the seeds and grind them into pastry flour. The pads, called nopales, are also eaten raw or cooked. During the 1700s and 1800s in California this cactus was planted near the Spanish missions and on the large Spanish ranchos. In addition to the cooked stems and sweet fruits, the cactus pads were used as a source of binding material for adobe bricks. Over the centuries, this species has spread and cross pollinated with many native species of prickly pears, resulting in numerous intermediate forms. Named for its pear-like shape and size, Prickly pear fruit comes from any of several varieties of cacti. Its prickly skin can range in color from green to purplish-red; it's soft, porous flesh (scattered with black seeds) from light yellow-green to deep golden. Also called cactus pear, the prickly pear has a melon-like aroma and a sweet but rather bland flavor. It's extremely popular in Mexico, Central and South America, the Mediterranean countries and southern Africa, and is slowly gaining favor in the United States. Prickly pears are available in Mexican markets and some specialty produce markets from fall through spring. Choose fruit that gives slightly to palm pressure. It should have a deep, even color. Ripen firm prickly pears at room temperature until soft. Store ripe fruit in the refrigerator for up to a week. Prickly pears are usually served cold, peeled and sectioned with the seeds removed. Native Americans also found other parts of the cactus useful. The strong skin fibers of the pads were dried and woven into baskets, mats and fans. The large spines made good toothpicks, needles and pins. Even the woody skeletons left after the flesh dried was used to make furniture and to construct houses. Prickly Pears grow in dry, rocky slopes and flats as well as forests and mountain foothills. Ranging in elevation from 0 to 8,000 feet,
Height: This plant can reach around 15 feet in height and 10 or more feet in width.
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