Prickly Pear, Brittle pricklypear
Opuntia fragilis
Family: Cactaceae
What it is like
Opuntia fragilis is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 0.1
Where it is found
Dry prairies, sandhills and rocks.
N. America - Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota to South Dakota, British Columbia, Kansas and Utah.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaf pads - cooked or raw. The outer skin is peeled off before eating the pads. Watery and very mucilaginous. The following notes are for O. compressa. They almost certainly also apply to this species. Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for later use. Sweet and gelatinous. Lean and insipid. The unripe fruits can be added to soups etc, imparting an okra-like mucilaginous quality. The fruit can hang on the plant all year round. Be careful of the plants irritant hairs, see the notes above on toxicity. The fruit of O. fragilis is about 12 x 12 mm. Seed - briefly roasted then ground into a powder. It is also used as a thickener.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The flesh of the leaf pads is diuretic. A poultice of the flesh has been used to treat skin sores and infections.
Other
Rating: 0
The following notes are for O. ficus indica. They almost certainly also apply to this species. A gum is obtained from the stem. It is used as a masticatory or mixed with oil to make candles. The juice of the boiled stem segments is very sticky. It is added to plaster, whitewash etc to make it adhere better to walls.
Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.
How it is grown
Requires a sandy or very well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7.5. Plants must be kept fairly dry in winter but they like a reasonable supply of water in the growing season. A position at the base of a south-facing wall or somewhere that can be protected from winter rain is best for this plant. Requires warmth and plenty of sun. Plants tolerate considerable neglect. This species is fairly cold tolerant and can succeed outdoors in a selected site in the milder areas of the country.
Propagating it: Seed - sow early spring in a very well-drained compost in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from winter wet. Make sure you have some reserve plants in case those outdoors do not overwinter. Cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. Remove a pad from the plant and then leave it in a dry sunny place for a couple of days to ensure that the base is thoroughly dry and has begun to callous. Pot up into a sandy compost. Very easy, rooting quickly.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; East Wall. By. South Wall. By.
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry
Things to keep in mind
The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids (hairs) that are easily dislodged when the plant is touched and they then become stuck to the skin where they are difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable discomfort.