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2008.07.19
Found this dense growth of ‘prickly pear’ cacti ...
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Found this dense growth of ‘prickly pear’ cacti ...
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... beside a recently demolished house
(this was probably part of the original garden)
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... beside a recently demolished house
(this was probably part of the original garden)
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With beautiful paper-like flowers, much like the ranunculus ...
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With beautiful paper-like flowers, much like the ranunculus ...
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and a host of creepy-crawly flying ants!
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and a host of creepy-crawly flying ants!
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Prickly pear cacti typically grow with flat, rounded paddle-like ‘leaves’ that are armed with two kinds of spines –– large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike spines called “glochids” that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense, tangled structures.
Prickly pear species are found in abundance in the West and Southwest of the United States and throughout much of Mexico. Prickly pears are also the only types of cactus natively found to grow in the eastern United States.
As food, the fruit of prickly pears –– commonly called cactus figs, Indian fig or tuna –– is edible, although it has to be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption. If the outer layer is not properly removed, glochids can be ingested causing discomfort of the throat, lips, and tongue as the small spines are easily lodged in the skin. Native Americans like the Tequesta would roll the fruit around in suitable medium (e.g. grit) to "sand" off the glochids.
Cactus figs are often used to make candies and jelly and a refreshing drink. The fruit is a favourite in Sicilian cuisine, where it is called ficurinnia (Indian fig).
(Source: Wikipedia)
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Comments
Beautiful set, and interesting too. I wish I lived in a warm place.
Thank you for the lovely pictures and very interesting reportage, Meil Ling! I just only found out (yesterday) that the dragon fruit comes from a cactus plant. :-))
