Common Name: Cactus Apple

General Information

Opuntia engelmannii is a spiny, succulent, evergreen shrubby or tree-like cactus with a short trunk and a dense mass of spreading stems; it can grow 100 - 350cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Opuntia engelmannii has a very wide range, is abundant, and no major threats are known. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].
The plant spreads mainly by vegetative reproduction and can become a weed of agriculture when the land is ploughed, forming virtually impenetrable masses of growth, outcompeting the introduced grasses and, often, other native plants[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].
Opuntia species can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, especially in older parts of the plant. Perfectly alright in small quantities, foods containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[, ].

Botanical References

,

Range

Southwest N. America - California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, to central and southern Mexico

Habitat

Xerophyllous scrub, grasslands, pine-juniper and oak forest; at elevations from 150 - 1,800 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

In cultivation, Cactus plants generally will not succeed in moist climates. They usually require a sunny position in a well-drained, circumneutral soil and to be kept more or less dry in the dormant season[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked, Of good quality, the flesh is succulent, sweet and juicy[, , ]. It makes an excellent juice and is often used to make a jelly[, ]. The dark red to purple, ovate-elongate to barrel-shaped fruit is 35 - 90mm long and 20 - 40mm in diameter[].
During their season the fruits (tunas) of various Opuntia species are the principal food of the people in certain parts of Mexico, and enormous quantities of them are consumed. Usually they are eaten raw, but they are also cooked in various ways, and sweetmeats are made from them.
The dried fruit can be pressed into large cakes (Queso de tuna ) and is widely sold in local markets. Miel de tuna is a syrup prepared from the fruit. Melcocha is a thick paste made by boiling down the juice. Colonche is the boiled and fermented juice. Nochote or nochocle is a fermented beverage prepared from tuna juice, together with pulque, and water. Tejuino also is a beverage prepared from the juice of the fruit[].

Stem segments - cooked. Fried[]. The stem segments of Opuntia species are known as ‘nopals’ in Mexico where they are a common ingredient in numerous dishes. They can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups, stews and salads. The most commonly used species are Opuntia ficus-indica or Opuntia matudae although the stems of almost all Opuntia species are edible.

Flowers[]. This report probably refers to the flower buds[]. Opuntia flower buds are a rich source of calcium and soluble fibre, as well as containing significant protein[]

Seeds. Dried and ground into a powder[]. The seeds of Opuntia species can be ground into a powder and used as a gruel or to prepare a kind of atole[]. Atole is a thick drink that is made with cornmeal (with or without other ground seeds), water, raw sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla and is served warm.

Medicinal

Heated stem segments are applied to a new mother's breasts in order to stimulate the flow of milk[].

We have no further specific information on medicinal uses for this species, but the following notes are likely to apply universally to Opuntia species and other related genera[].

The flesh of tender young stem segments can be applied as a poultice to reduce inflammation[].
The mucilage and soluble fibre found in the flowers and stem segments have been shown to help control blood-sugar levels associated with adult-onset diabetes[].
There is clinical evidence that the soluble fibre in the stem segments helps reduce blood cholesterol levels[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a very well-drained compost in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from winter wet. Make sure you have some reserve plants in case those outdoors do not overwinter.
Cuttings of leaf pads at any time in the growing season. Remove a pad from the plant and then leave it in a dry sunny place for a couple of days to ensure that the base is thoroughly dry and has begun to callous. Pot up into a sandy compost. Very easy, rooting quickly.