Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus

A cactus in Indiana?

The eastern prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is native to the lower 48 states of the United States. It is not only a beautiful plant, but it is also edible, provides food and protection for wildlife and can be used in native landscaping.

Especially in Indiana, this cactus is easy to spot. Like other spiny succulents, the prickly pear has flat, fleshy pads (called cladodes) covered in spiky spines. The prickly pear produces showy yellow flowers.

How to eat a prickly pear

After flowering, a red, egg-shaped fruit begins to appear. The fruits are edible and can be eaten raw after removing the skin. Jellies, candies and other sweets are often made from the fruit, while some people also snack on the fleshy pads of the plant.

Prickly pear cactus has been a Mexican and Central American dietary staple for thousands of years. In some parts of the United States, there is a growing interest in eating prickly pear.

There are two edible parts of the prickly pear plant: the pad, or nopal, of the cactus which is often treated as a vegetable, and the pear, or fruit.

What do prickly pears taste like?

The flavor of a cactus pear is sweet, but somewhat bland, similar in flavor to a melon. Despite the name, the fruit is not actually a member of the pear family. It was simply named that because the prickly fruit resembles a pear in size and shape.