The Prickly Pears Are Blooming

[fossis]

Do you have these growing in MO, & surrounding States?
I have pulled many spines out of my feet as a child.
They are also in Western AR, just wondered how far N. & E. they grow.

Fossis........

 

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[Tn Gizmo]

They are scattered around in Tennessee...don't know if they are native or were transplanted and gone wild. I always though their blooms were pretty, never get them to taste like pears though.

 

[fossis]

They are scattered around in Tennessee...don't know if they are native or were transplanted and gone wild. I always though their blooms were pretty, never get them to taste like pears though.

Thanks for the answer, we are close enough to the SW to have them naturally, but always wondered how far they went to the other States.
They make 'prickly pear' jelly, I tried some made in AZ, very good.

Fossis..........

 

[Tn Gizmo]

Your post made me wonder about their range so I did a bit of searching...it looks as if their range covers pretty much all of North America.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OPUNT&photoID=opunt_2h.jpg

 

[fossis]

That's intresting.

Fossis.............

 

[stefen]

originally, the species opuntia was native to southern and central Mexico...now is a prolific weed...

The pads can be skinned similar to peeling a potato and cooked like French toast...also used to make cactus candy...the fruit (cactus pear) is used to make jelly and also eaten as a fruit...quite good...

 

[fossis]

originally, the species opuntia was native to southern and central Mexico...now is a prolific weed...

The pads can be skinned similar to peeling a potato and cooked like French toast...also used to make cactus candy...the fruit (cactus pear) is used to make jelly and also eaten as a fruit...quite good...

They certainly have spread to lots of places, our local grocery stores sell the pads to the Hispanic's.
I think I also ate 'prickly pear' jelly, quite good.

Fossis............

 

[GibH]

originally, the species opuntia was native to southern and central Mexico...now is a prolific weed...

The pads can be skinned similar to peeling a potato and cooked like French toast...also used to make cactus candy...the fruit (cactus pear) is used to make jelly and also eaten as a fruit...quite good...

We have them here in NW Florida as well. I had a rather unpleasant experience last time I ingested cactus.

 

[fossis]

originally, the species opuntia was native to southern and central Mexico...now is a prolific weed...

The pads can be skinned similar to peeling a potato and cooked like French toast...also used to make cactus candy...the fruit (cactus pear) is used to make jelly and also eaten as a fruit...quite good...

We have them here in NW Florida as well. I had a rather unpleasant experience last time I ingested cactus.

Thanks for the reply, I hope the spines were removed first.

Fossis........

 

[creskol]

Got them on my ranch in Texas .. Makes good preserves, and outstanding candy!

 

[steve71]

where's the red pears?my ol lady likes them in her eggs

 

[RGINN]

We have them in the lower elevations in Colorado, they don't seem to do well in the alpine areas where I'm at. My family eats the leaves a lot, but Maria usually buys nopalitos in jars, already pre-sliced. I used to eat their fruits a lot in Oklahoma. You roll them in sand first to get rid of the needles, which aren't near as bad as cholla spines.

 

[Produce Guy]

The son and I play Disc Golf in Manor,Tx. and these are blooming all over the park,the pears are really tasty and make good cheap hair dye also can be used for ink,and has been used in cave art.The cactus pads are great for eating,great with eggs.

 

[travel]

well, we have them in central and south georgia, grow wild everywhere.

 

[stefen]

like I said, the beavertail cactus is a prolific weed...

Like the Pampus Grass that is destroying the Pacific coastline from below Santa Maria to north of the Bay area...almost impossible to eradicate...should not have been imported in the first place...

Years ago an enterprising gentleman went around harvesting the cactus and then converted it into a liquid-like fertilizer & mulch...used a hydroseeder for a spreader application...

Problem is that so few people take advantage of the food and medicinal uses...so growth goes on unchecked...

 

[fossis]

Thanks everyone for the answers to my question.

Fossis...........

 

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

These things can grow all the way up to Maine. I once rented a house that had one in the yard that I wanted to get rid of, so I ran over it with the lawn mower. Bad mistake... Everywhere a tiny piece landed one sprouted.

 

[fossis]

These things can grow all the way up to Maine. I once rented a house that had one in the yard that I wanted to get rid of, so I ran over it with the lawn mower. Bad mistake... Everywhere a tiny piece landed one sprouted.

They 'do get around', in the protected Southern side of some hills they grow 'very large' in this area, but most are the smaller sized ones.
I guess the best way is to dig them up & burn them when they dry out.

Fossis...........

 

[JUNKYARD DOG]

ive seen them here in mid-Mo. didnt know you could eat them.
they sound good. JYD...

 

[TN_MD]

They are scattered around in Tennessee...don't know if they are native or were transplanted and gone wild. I always though their blooms were pretty, never get them to taste like pears though.

Yep Same here in the geographical center of Tennessee !!
Did not know they were edible till reading this post.
thanks for the info everyone.


Karl