Cushion cactus, Ball cactus
Escobaria vivipara

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A small cactus. It is 3-9 cm high. It has clusters of 3-8 brownish spines. These are 14-20 mm long. The flowers are purplish-red. They are 40-50 mm across. The fruit are large and red. The fruit are the size of a grape and is green.

The fruit are used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Canada, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are dried, boiled and eaten. They are also boiled fresh and eaten. The fruit are made into jam. The flowers are eaten raw or cooked. The stems are cooked and eaten.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers, stems

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bunch cactus, Golfball cactus, Spinystar

Synonyms

Mammillaria vivipara Haw.; and others