Sweet prickly pear, Indian fig
Opuntia ficus-indica

Family: Cactaceae

What it is like

A tree like cactus. It grows to 2-5 m tall. It has many branches. It is spreading and bluish-green. It has succulent pads. The joints are 20-40 cm long by 10-20 cm wide. The spines are 2-3 cm long. Spineless kinds also occur. The flowers are large and yellow. They grow on the borders of the pads. The flowers open in the daytime. They are 70-100 mm long. The filaments are pale yellow. The fruit are barrel shaped. They are 50-90 mm long. They turn yellow when ripe. There are several seeds. There are several cultivated varieties.

There are about 250 Opuntia species. It can be invasive. Fruit are high in folates 24μg/100.

Where it is found

It is native to Mexico. It suits drier places. It needs full sunlight. It needs a temperature above 10°C. It is grown in tropical and subtropical areas. It can grow in arid places. It grows naturally on sandy sea shores. In East Africa it grows below 1,700 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Algeria, Andes, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico (country/location of origin), Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Sicily, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Western Sahara, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten. Dried fruit are used in sweetmeats. They are also used for jams, jellies and wines. The young stems are used as a vegetable or in pickles. The fermented pulp is mixed with flour and nuts to make and Italian dish. The pulp of the fruit without seeds is prepared as a sauce for pasta. They are also stewed or dried for later use. The green fruit and tender shoots are cooked in curries. They can be eaten in soups and stews to add a mucilaginous character. The segments and fruit can be flamed to remove the spines and hairs.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, stems, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from stem pads. They can grow easily from sections which fall onto the ground. Plants can be grown from seeds, by division of the roots or by planting segments.

It takes 5-6 years to fruit when grown from seeds. Fruit matures in 90 days. Fruit can be collected all year round.

Its other names

Local names

Adamii, Ahntsi, Aknari, Babutsa, Barbary fig, Beles, Bushuki, Chuppauthumoolloo, Ci li, Damtiligi, Divlja smokva, Drooping Prickly pear, Feigenkaktus, Ficarazzi, Fico d'India, Figo de cacto, Figue de barbarie, Fikupali, Gambora, Grabong-pet, Hadami, Holeta, Idolofiya, Kaktus ara indian, Kaktus pir tuna, Kaktus pir variegata, Kaloga, Kij'i'i, Kirigurigu, Kulkual, Lap inciri, Likidindi, Masikio tembo, Mateyak, Matwigampuli, Mfurahisha mkundu, Misir inciri, Motorofeya, Mpungate, Mudondoki, Mudoro, Mudorofia, Munanazi, Mwatsa, Nagamala, Ndungantunga, Nkuyuni, Nopal blanco, Oponce, Opunchia, Palma, Papaldotta, Pittara, Prickly pear, Qulqualita, Rangah teen, Saini, Sico tu truncu, Svekrvin jezik, Tarung, Tuna, Tuna mansa, Vialuzungu, Xian tao

Synonyms

Cactus ficus-indica L.; Cactus opuntia L.; Opuntia albicarpa Scgeinvar; Opuntia castillae Griffiths; Opuntia incarnadilla Griffiths; Opuntia occidentalis Engelm.; Opuntia vulgaris P. Miller; Platyopuntia vulgaris (P. Miller) F. Ritter; Cactus compressus R.A. Salisbury; Opuntia compressa McBride; Opuntia maxima Salm-Dyck; ex P. de Candolle; Opuntia cordobensis Spegazzini; Platyopuntia cordobensis (Spegazzini) F. Ritter; Opuntia ficus-indica var. gymnocarpa (F. A. C. Weber) Speg.; Opuntia tuna-blanca Spegazzini;