# Edible Cactus



## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

A couple of weeks ago Hubby and I watched part of the History channel program about life after the apocalypse. We didn't turn on the TV until part way through the show. The family was in the desert, and already in bad shape. They were walking right past cactus that they could have eaten and sustained themselves quite well. I tried it when I attended Air Force survival school in Texas. It wasn't bad at all.










So there were store ads in today's mail, and one of the ads is for a local Hispanic market. They are selling *Nopal*, which is the leaves of the prickly Pear family of cactus. These are eaten regularly by Hispanics. The fruit of these cactus are really quite delicious too!

If you live in an area where cactus grow, don't overlook cactus as a food source.

This site has recipes. http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2163-cooking-with-cactus-nopales-cactus

We have a different variety of cactus at our house in the burbs. It always produced huge beautiful flowers about the time the kids started school each September. It was sitting directly in the sun and for years I didn't water it. I dug it up a couple of years ago and moved it to the back yard, where it gets fertilized and occasionally watered. Boy, that thing has really taken off! I noticed that this year it produced fruit! I did a google image search on "cactus fruit" and discovered that what I have is an Asian delicacy called "Dragon Fruit" Mine aren't quite as delicious and sweet as the prickly pear fruit, but I may be able to improve that with proper fertilization, so I'll give that a try.

I have been looking at my ranch, and I think I will try to plant some prickly pear in a section of hillside that is on a South facing slope that gets direct sun. Chaparral grows there now, and at the elevations not much lower than us, Prickly pear grows naturally and in abundance.


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## countrymech (Nov 28, 2005)

Ahhh, prickly pear cactus. Back when I was a Boy Scout we used to eat that quite a bit. Of course, being from Wyoming, edible plants are hard to find. It really isn't bad. However that was almost 30 years ago. Now I usually cus it because my kids don't watch where they are going while geocaching. It is very abundant here in Wyoming. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

It's a trip down memory lane for me too, and a survival item that grows over vast swaths of the country. Knowing it is edible could save lives in a SHTF situation.


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

i have been growing a lot 

my bees love the flowers a good soak with water every couple of weeks will
keep the flowers blossoming for long periods of time and will plump the fruit
out.
when the pads start to look shrunken they need water unless it is winter
in which case they do that naturally

fruit can be eaten
pads can be eaten
the seeds can be ground into flour

i made a dull flavored wine out of the fruit this year but cant recomend it
could be a source of ethanol if you had nothing better

rabbits love the spineless variety

dethorn by quick bit of flame prior to peeling 

read somewhere it may be good for diabetics

also read they are a good emergency food for cattle and other stock if dethorned by fire first.and very good for drought because the beast does not need as much water

we had some very cold weather which did a lot of damage to the spineless
variety but the nasty thorny one did fine


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks Damoc, I didn't know you could burn the thorns off!


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## waking_giant (Oct 17, 2009)

Double post. Please delete.

Thanks


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## waking_giant (Oct 17, 2009)

Cactus can upset the stomach, especially if eaten raw. If you are already dehydrated I would eat a small portion for starters and see how your stomach reacts to it. It could make a bad situation even worse. This is true for many wild plants that we are not used to ingesting.

I boil the young thorn-less pads (sliced) with green beans, dried cranberries and butter and I love it. But I am a weirdo. :rock:


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

How many of you men also know that these cactus are also good for your prostate also, so eat up and get healthy, but yes cook them first. Thanks Marc


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I keep a jar of cactus in the fridge... a little slimy, but it's good... I add it to several mexican dishes...


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## NoClue (Jan 22, 2007)

In Texas, Nopalitos are a common food among the Mexican American population, especially during Lent (which starts today) it's used as a meat substitute. The rest of the year it's used as a garnish. I've always liked nopalito and eggs so much that I eat it all year round. Also for lent, my family ate 'cactus soup' which is still comfort food for me.

You can find nopalitos at Mexican grocers or in most chain grocery stores in the Mexican or International foods section. They're relatively cheap and last a long time in refrigerator.

The down side is that Nopalitos can cause some serious gas.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

I have some cactus, that looks just like what's in the picture. Found it at an old homestead site years ago. The only difference is that the leaves (pads) are much, much smaller than the pads that I see in the stores. Blooms with a beautiful yellow flower. The fruit is a little larger than a big marble. Grows fairly low to the ground. It's not a tall upright plant like the ones I see in hardscape landscapes. 

Is this the same thing? I don't know enough about the types of cactus to know whether this is some other type that shouldn't be eaten. Are cactus like mushrooms? Some good, some bad? 

Thanks for any insight.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

We used to cut the fruit off, skewer it with long sticks, and then roast it over a campfire. The fruit has all these little hairs that will really irritate the heck out of your hands and probably your mouth too if you were so foolish as to pop one right in. But when roasted it burns all those little hair-thorns off and softens the fruit a little.


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## NoClue (Jan 22, 2007)

NCLee said:


> I have some cactus, that looks just like what's in the picture. Found it at an old homestead site years ago. The only difference is that the leaves (pads) are much, much smaller than the pads that I see in the stores. Blooms with a beautiful yellow flower. The fruit is a little larger than a big marble. Grows fairly low to the ground. It's not a tall upright plant like the ones I see in hardscape landscapes.
> 
> Is this the same thing? I don't know enough about the types of cactus to know whether this is some other type that shouldn't be eaten. Are cactus like mushrooms? Some good, some bad?
> 
> Thanks for any insight.


There are some cacti that are definitely not safe to eat. Peyote, for example, is a strong hallucinogenic.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

NCLee said:


> I have some cactus, that looks just like what's in the picture. Found it at an old homestead site years ago. The only difference is that the leaves (pads) are much, much smaller than the pads that I see in the stores. Blooms with a beautiful yellow flower. The fruit is a little larger than a big marble. Grows fairly low to the ground. It's not a tall upright plant like the ones I see in hardscape landscapes.
> 
> Is this the same thing? I don't know enough about the types of cactus to know whether this is some other type that shouldn't be eaten. Are cactus like mushrooms? Some good, some bad?
> 
> Thanks for any insight.


Yours sounds like it is in the prickly pear family, which means it would be edible. I found this article that describes it in detail. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1984-05-01/Cactus-Its-Edible.aspx
_"Joanadel Hurst In tales about the West, the cactus is sometimes portrayed as a water-bearing plant that saves thirsting cowpokes lost in the desert. But any hungry range rider worth his spurs would know that some types can provide right good eating, too, especially those known as Indian figs, nopales, prickly pears, or beaver tail cacti.

In fact, there are dozens of varieties of these hardy forageables. They're members of the genus Opuntia, which encompasses well over 200 species. These can be divided into two broad groups: the inedible &#8212; or at least basically unpalatable &#8212; cholla cacti (which have slender, rounded stems) *and the edible prickly pears (distinguished by flat pads resembling beavers' tails)."*_

If you are concerned, post a picture, or ask your county extension agent.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

There is one that looks like this that will grow here in Michigan but I know nothing about it. A woman sells sections at the farm auction in the spring, looks like I'll see if it's edible.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

7thswan said:


> There is one that looks like this that will grow here in Michigan but I know nothing about it. A woman sells sections at the farm auction in the spring, looks like I'll see if it's edible.


If it is edible, and grows in your climate, you can buy some and start your own plant, or several. Sometimes here in California I see hedges that were made by planting many prickly pear in a straight line. It would be an effective barrier, because of the spines. Most folks would see it and think it is ornamental. If you did this with a variety that you knew to be edible, you would have it as a food source.

That is why I am going to go to the local hispanic market and buy some and try to start my own plants.

This ehow article tells how to start your own plant from one pad. http://www.ehow.com/how_5607572_grow-nopal-cactus.html


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

They sell it in the #10 cans here. I bought a can to try.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Cyngbaeld said:


> They sell it in the #10 cans here. I bought a can to try.


Is it dried? Powdered? Cubed?


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Thank you for your replies. I "think" I have prickly pear cactus. Flat pads about the size of the palm of my hand or a little smaller. 

I'll try to get someone to confirm (camera not working right now to post a pix) that they are indeed prickly pear

Thanks, again.
Lee


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Common Tator said:


> Is it dried? Powdered? Cubed?


It is sliced and canned. Not dried. Haven't opened it yet.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

You all are missing the best part! Those little red things on the tops, the prickly pear fruit, holy cow! They are amazing, like a raspberry, watermellon, and bananna combined. Amazing! Great for diabetics. Every winter I make gallons of prickly pear juice and jam, sooo good!

Also some more desert edibles;;;

Jajoba Nuts (aka goat nuts) Too many will give you a tummy ache but they taste like brazil nuts and they are great!

Agave roots, besides Tequilla, they are good eats.

Occotillio you can make tea out of the bark and flowers.

Mesquite Bean pods make a sweat and yummy flour

As you can see theres lots of desert eddibles that are good eats. If you ever want to know more, just PM me! ;0)


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## waking_giant (Oct 17, 2009)

I forgot about prickly pear jam. My great grandmother used to make it and it was delicious. 

Gonna have to hunt for the recipe. I have cactus everywhere.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

When i was onsafari to Colorado 15 years ago i came across 3 varieties of Prickly pear, brought back a few plants off the private property we were on to try to get them to grow in this semi-arid area of Idaho, and a couple made it for a few years.... 

what i wanted them for was beds around the perimeter of the property as defensive perimeter... i got a spine in my ankle and still have a spot visible after 15 years.... well i can see it anyway and remember well the pain associated with it too!!

I tried a couple and found them to be "pungent" or "acidic" in taste, not what i had expected, of course at 7000 feet elevation in July it may not have been the right season to try those.... I used a Gerber multi-tool and a buck hunting knife to "peel" them and et them raw first and then tried frying them.... in a pinch they would be right there on the list of eats, but requirer to much effort spent in preparing them it seemed like to me, maybe once i got the hang of it......

William
Idaho


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I have lots of cacti around here. It looks like your picture, but mine has never flowered. It's been here for years and years so my red clay and sand is probably enough to keep them alive, but not thriving.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

According to the ehow article I posted above,_ Fertilize prickly pear with a non-nitrogen 0-10-10 fertilizer once a month for more flowers. Use high-nitrogen fertilizer for larger pads._

You also might want to prepare an area where you want some prickly pear to grow by mixing sand and small gravel in with your clay. Pick several pads (the flat leaves) and let them air dry for a week, and then stand them cut end down in the prepared soil. They will now be growing in better conditions than the ones hat are just growing in clay.


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