In South and Central America, it's not just the opuntia fruits that can be eaten raw that are on the menu; the shoots or segments can also be peeled and eaten cooked. Some opuntias are now also used as fodder plants.
How to eat opuntia properly?
Opuntias, such as Opuntia ficus indica, can be eaten: peel and eat the fruit raw or eat the shoots peeled and cooked. Harvest time is when the fruits give in to light pressure and are reddish in color. They also have healing properties.
When can the fruits of opuntia be harvested?
One of the most delicious edible opuntias is the Opuntia ficus indica, the prickly pear cactus. The harvest time is quite different for the different species. For some opuntias, the harvest begins in late summer, while others ripen until November.
As soon as the fruits of your Opuntia turn reddish, your fingers may be itching to start harvesting. But you still need a little patience. Only when the fruits give in under light pressure are they really ripe.
Break the ripe prickly pears from the plant using light pressure or cut them off with a sharp knife. Peel the fruit if you want to add it to a fruit salad, for example, or simply spoon out the tasty prickly pear.
What can I do for a good harvest?
Although the opuntias are considered easy to care for, you have to do a little to get a rich harvest. On the one hand, the location should be chosen carefully. Opuntia likes it warm and bright. If it feels uncomfortable in its place, it may not bloom. As the fruits develop, you should increase the amount of watering.
Opuntia in medicine
Various types of Opuntia, such as the prickly pear cactus (bot. Opuntia ficus indica) are used in folk medicine. The flowers are best collected in spring, the fruits from July to November. While the flowers are mainly used for strengthening, the fiber-rich fruits are used in a variety of ways, for example to promote digestion, heal wounds or relieve cramps.
The most important things in brief:
- Fruits edible raw, should be peeled
- Segments cooked edible
- peel carefully, risk of injury from spines
- Flowers can be used as edible decoration
- Healing effects of the prickly pear: digestive, strengthening, wound-healing, antispasmodic
Tip
If you want to eat the fruits of your Opuntia, then look for an edible and tasty variety like the Opuntia ficus indica when purchasing.
