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PRICKLY
PEAR CACTUS
(Opuntia vulgaris)
Indian figs, beaver tail
Description:
Cactus stems, prostrate, forming compressed pear-shaped pads,
tufted with bristles and showy yellow flowers. Flowers, yellow,
solitary and cup-shaped. Fruit, dull red, pulpy. Leaves are spines
or dry scales with numerous fine barbs, wooly hairs. Around the
country in desert areas, sandy ground, including sea shores and
open dry fields.
Edible:
Fleshy pulp between the skin and seeds of fruit, excellent chilled.
Remove bristles, with damp cloth, by slicing off or by burning.
Then, pulp of both pads and stems can be roasted, boiled, stewed
or fried. Pads can be split lengthwise, pulp scooped out, eaten
fresh or cooked into a syrup or candied. Seeds, removed from pods,
can be fried like popcorn, parched, ground into flour or creamed.
Has medicinal properties, also.
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