Uses of Prickly Pears

Garden Ornamental

• Prickly pears require little care once established, thriving in poor, alkaline soils in bright, full sun locations. Plant in a well-draining, sandy soil or a commercial cactus potting mix. Cacti grown in poorly draining soils are likely to succumb to root rot. Water every two to three weeks until the plant is established. The plant is not susceptible to any major pests or disease, although scale may become an issue. Wash off scale with a direct stream of water.

Food

• Prickly pears produces 2- to 3-inch, reddish, thick-skinned fruits known as tunas. Tunas have a deep red, sweet flesh that has a taste similar to watermelon. Fruits can be pounded and made into a sweet juice, while the pulp can be dried and kept. The young pads of the prickly pear are edible as well, and they can be used in cooking to create moisture and steam to help bake dishes such as lechuguilla and sotol.

Dye

• Prickly pear attracts and sustains an insect known as Dactylopis coccus, from which red cochineal dye is derived. The dye was used by the ancient Aztecs, eventually becoming a highly valuable Spanish export. The British army, as well as the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, once used dye made from the insects to dye their red uniforms. The sharp, hard spines of the prickly pear were also used as sewing needles.

Medicine

• Prickly pears, particularly the young, calcium-rich pads, have been used historically and in modern times to treat medical problems such as urinary tract infections, prostate problems, whooping cough and burns. Pads are used as a poultice and as an antiseptic for open wounds. The raw pulp of the pads, known as mucilage, kills bacteria and reduces the absorption of sugar. Split cactus pads can be used to quell bleeding.