Sonoran Desert prickly pear
Opuntia phaeacantha

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A cactus. It is a sprawling shrub. It grows 30-90 cm high and spreads 1.2 m wide. The stem segments are flattened. They can be 38 cm long. There are fierce 6 cm long spines in clusters. The flowers are bright yellow and can be red within. The fruit are pear shaped and purple-red. They are 8 cm long.

There are about 250 Opuntia species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical and tropical plant. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The stem segments are roasted. The fruit are eaten raw, dried, pickled or made into jelly. They are also baked with sugar, butter, lemon juice and cinnamon. The seeds are dried and parched and ground into meal and used in gruel or cakes. The young stems are boiled or roasted and eaten with scrambled eggs.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, leaves, stems, pads

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bastard fig, Purple-fruited prickly pear, Brown-spined prickly pear, Densely-spined prickly pear, Major prickly pear, Mojave prickly pear, New Mexico prickly pear, Nopalero purpura, Tuna morada, Yellow-spined prickly pear

Synonyms

Opuntia camanchica Engelmann & Bigelow; Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica (Engel. & Bigelow) L.D. Benson; Opuntia mojavensis Engel. & Bigelow; Opuntia phaeacantha var. mojavensis (Engel. & Bigelow) Fosberg; Opuntia angustata Engel. & Bigelow; Opuntia phaeacantha var. nigricans Engel.; Opuntia phaeacantha var. major Engel.; Opuntia superbospina Griffiths; Opuntia phaeacantha var. superbospina (Griffiths) L.D. Benson; Opuntia woodsii Backeberg; Opuntia charlestonensis Clokey; Opuntia phaeacantha var. charlestonensis (Clokey) L.D. Benson;