Prickly Pear Cactus

Description:

This Prickly Pear has the fruit arranged in an attractive fan along the edge of the pad.

Habitat:

Miller Spring Park, Belton, Texas.

Notes:

Prickly pear cactus has been a staple of the Mexican and Central American diet for thousands of years. In parts of the U.S. it has been gaining popularity as an exotic, gourmet and healthy addition to one's diet. The prickly pear plant has two different edible sections: the pad of the cactus (nopal), which can be treated like a vegetable, and the pear (tuna), which can be treated like a fruit.