Common Name: Prickly Pear

General Information

Opuntia ficus-indica is a prickly, evergreen, large, bushy cactus that can sometimes develop a definite woody trunk and is capable of growing up to 5 metres tall[]. It has a shallow, fleshy root system with a horizontal spread[].
The plant is cultivated in many warm temperate and sub tropical areas for its edible fruits[89,183] and also for its use as a stock-proof barrier[]. The fruit is often found for sale in markets[].
The plant is widely grown from the warm temperate to the tropical zones and has often escaped from cultivation. It has become an invasive weed in many areas, including around the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, S. Africa and Mexico[].

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

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Range

Original habitat is obscure, possibly Mexico

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation, the plant is naturalized in the Mediterranean where it grows in dry arid and rocky places[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Opuntia ficus-indica is a plant of the cool, semi-arid tropics and subtropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 2,600 metres, it can also be grown in warm temperate areas, especially those with a Mediterranean-type climate[, ].
Requires a sandy or very well-drained soil[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 to 7.5, tolerating 6.5 - 8.2[]. Plants must be kept fairly dry in the winter but they like a reasonable supply of water in the growing season. A position at the base of a south-facing wall or somewhere that can be protected from winter rain is best for this plant. Requires warmth and plenty of sun[]. Plants tolerate considerable neglect[].
The plant is widely grown from the warm temperate to the tropical zones and has often escaped from cultivation. It has become an invasive weed in many areas, including around the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, S. Africa and Mexico[].
There is a distinction between the spiny naturalized pears, which are invasive weeds and the cultivated, spine-less forms which are much better behaved. These spineless forms exist in several cultivars including. Opuntia ficus-indica forma inermis Opuntia ficus-indica forma amyclaea and Opuntia ficus-indica forma elongata[].
A slow-growing plant. Seedlings usually commence bearing fruits when 5 - 6 years old, cuttings can start fruiting when 2 - 3 years old[].
A number of distinct botanical varieties are recognised. Many different races are cultivated for their fruits.
There are some named varieties[], one at least of which is free from spines and irritant hairs.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for later use[, , , , , ]. Sweet and gelatinous[]. Very refreshing, they are somewhat like a watermelon in flavour[]. The fruits can also be dried (tunas secas, tunas pasadas) or cooked and then further prepared for queso de tuna (pressed, dried fruits), miel de tuna (treacle), melcocha (a kind of treacle), coloncha (fermented juice), and nochote (juice with pulque and water)[]. Of high nutrient value[]. The fruits are up to 10cm long and 9cm wide[]. Individual fruits weigh from 100 - 200 grammes[]. Be careful of the plants irritant hairs, see the notes above on toxicity.

Stem segments (or pads) - cooked and used like French beans[, ], or used as a pot herb[]. Watery and very mucilaginous[]. The pads are generally 30 - 40cm long, though can be up to 80cm, and are 18 - 25cm wide[].

Flowers - raw[].

Seed - ground into a meal[, ].

An edible gum is obtained from the stem[].

The red fruit colour of some varieties is used as a dye for food[].

Medicinal

The flowers and stems are antispasmodic, diuretic and emollient[].

The flowers are astringent and are used to reduce bleeding and treat problems of the gastro-intestinal tract, especially diarrhoea, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome[]. The flowers are also used in the treatment of an enlarged prostate gland[].

A piece of the stem is placed in water, and the water given as a remedy for dropsy[]. Several thin slices of the stem are warmed and placed in water, and the water is drunk as a remedy for stomach inflammations[]. An infusion of the ground stem is used for treating stomach ulcers[].
The split stems have been bound around injured limbs as a first aid measure[]. Slices of the stem are applied to inflammations of the joints, skin and intestines to draw off heat[]. A small piece of the stem in a glass of water is used for removing mucus from inflamed eyes[].

The fruit is diuretic[]. Eating the fruit turns the urine red[].

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[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The spiny forms of this plant make an excellent stock-proof barrier or hedge[]. Due to the plants propensity to spread into native environments, however, this practice should only be carried out within its native range or any other areas where it has proved to be better behaved[].
The plant has a wide-spreading, surface-rooting habit, which makes it useful in soil stabilization[]. Cactus hedges play a major role in erosion control and land-slope partitioning, particularly when established along contours. The hedge is a physical obstacle to runoff, favouring temporary local runoff accumulation and silting, thus preventing regressive erosion. In arid lands subject to wind erosion, cactus hedges are an easy, cheap and efficient way of prevention and control of top soil loss and accumulation of wind-borne deposits[].

Other Uses

A gum is obtained from the stem. It is used as a masticatory or mixed with oil to make candles[].

Extracts from various parts of the plant are used as ingredients in commercial cosmetic preparations as antioxidants, emollients, humectants, skin conditioners etc[].

The juice of the boiled stem segments is very sticky. It is added to plaster, whitewash etc to make it adhere better to walls[].

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.