The Story of Prickly Pear

Prickly pears are the genus Opuntia; Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian-fig / mission cactus) is one well-known species.

How it was found

Kew prints the native range of Opuntia as America. The native list spans North, Central, and South America (including California and much of Mexico, plus the Caribbean and parts of South America). Introduced widely in the Old World, Australia, Africa, and Pacific islands. UC Small Farms Network (1989): while the prickly pear cactus is native to the United States, Mexico, and South America, it grows well in many areas of the world, including Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean.

UC Small Farms Network: in Central Mexico, the pads have grown as a traditional vegetable since before the Spanish arrived. Opuntia ficus-indica is a widely cultivated, tree-forming species.

How people used it

UC Small Farms Network: pads are cladodes or nopales (nopalitos when diced); fruits are prickly pears, cactus pears, or tunas. In Central Mexico the pads have been grown as a traditional vegetable since before the Spanish arrived.

Before synthetic dyes, cactus plantations were planted for red pigments; carminic acid (cochineal) is produced by the cochineal insect that feeds on pads and fruit. In the 16th century, the export of cochineal from Mexico was second in importance and monetary value only to silver (citing Cantwell-de-Trejo).

Timeline

1. 1754

   Miller names the genus

   Kew accepts Opuntia Mill., first published in Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4 (1754). Its native range is the Americas, and Kew lists 185 accepted species.

   Kew POWO — Opuntia Mill.

2. Before the Spanish arrived

   Pads as a vegetable in Central Mexico

   UC Small Farms Network writes that in Central Mexico, the pads have grown as a traditional vegetable since before the Spanish arrived.

   UC Small Farms Network — Prickly Pear Cactus (1989)

3. 16th century

   Cochineal, second only to silver

   UC Small Farms Network: in the 16th century, the export of cochineal from Mexico was second in importance and monetary value only to silver. A cactus insect, not a fruit recipe, made the crop imperial.

   UC Small Farms Network — Prickly Pear Cactus (1989)

4. Turn of the century / circa 1914

   Burbank’s spineless cactus

   UC Small Farms Network: around the turn of the century Luther Burbank researched many uses of prickly pear; a compiled list of uses from Burbank’s research notes, circa 1914. Same page: from 1906 to 1915 Burbank developed and promoted some 35 varieties of “spineless” cactus for livestock feed.

   UC Small Farms Network — Prickly Pear Cactus (1989)

5. Introduced range / weed

   Notorious in some places it was taken

   UC Small Farms Network: in some areas of South Africa and Australia, prickly pear has become a notorious weed. Kew’s genus Introduced list includes those regions among many others. That is origin/use context — not a how-to or a CDFA pest rating.

   UC Small Farms Network; Kew POWO

Cool to know

Growing notes for this plant live on the Plant Wiki.