Opuntia, commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers. [1]

Mar 14, 2025 · The prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is the fruit of the Opuntia cactus, also called nopal cactus. In botanical terms, the small, plump prickly pear is, in fact, a berry, measuring 2 …

Aug 25, 2021 · Prickly pear is an edible cactus fruit with several potential culinary uses. It also has an impressive nutritional profile and may help promote health and protect against certain …

Health benefits of Prickly pear (opuntia) Prickly pears are closely related to another cactus produce, dragon fruit. Fresh cactus pear is low in energy, carrying just about 41 calories per …

Dec 6, 2022 · Prickly pear cactus — or also known as nopal, opuntia and other names — is promoted for treating diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and hangovers. It's also touted for its …

Prickly Pear (Opuntia) is a very flexible food source. Both the pads (nopales) and the fruit (tunas) are edible, but caution should be taken with both harvesting and preparation.

Feb 7, 2025 · Opuntia ficus-indica is a domesticated type of cactus used as a crop plant, but wild species of Opuntia act as food sources too. The fruit of the cactus is also known as prickly …

Fruit: The fruit of the Opuntia, known as the prickly pear, is an edible oval-shaped berry. It matures to a vibrant red or yellow color and has a sweet taste, often used in jams, jellies, and …

Dec 6, 2025 · Opuntia, genus of 150–180 species of flat-jointed cacti (family Cactaceae) native to the New World. Several species of prickly pear are cultivated for their edible fruits and paddles.

The many seeds in each fruit have a hard, bony aril or funicular envelope surrounding them that is characteristic of the subfamily Opuntioideae to which Opuntia belongs (Anderson 2001, …