![]() ![]() Both the fruits and the pads of the prickly pear cactus are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fibers that may help keep blood sugar stable. They, too, are sold in stores under the name " Nopalito." Because of the glochids, great care is required when harvesting or preparing prickly pear cactus. The fruits of most prickly pears are edible and sold in stores under the name " tuna." Prickly pear branches (the pads) are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable. Prickly Pear Fruit - Tuna - with Glochids Glochids are often difficult to see and more difficult to remove, once lodged in the skin. Found just above the cluster of regular spines, glochids are yellow or red in color and detach easily from the pads. But members of the Opuntia genus are unique because of their clusters of fine, tiny, barbed spines called glochids. Like other cactus, most prickly pears and chollas have large spines - actually modified leaves - growing from tubercles - small, wart-like projections - on their stems. Chollas are also members of the Opuntia genus but have cylindrical, jointed stems rather than flat pads. The pads are actually modified branches or stems that serve several functions - water storage, photosynthesis and flower production. All have flat, fleshy pads that look like large leaves. ![]() Prickly pear cactus represent about a dozen species of the Opuntia genus ( Family Cactaceae) in the North American deserts. ![]() The beavertail, Santa Rita and blind pear are regarded as spineless, but all have glochids. Pads can vary in width, length, shape and color. They vary in height from less than a foot (plains, hedgehog, tuberous) to 6 or 7 feet (Texas, Santa Rita, pancake). Most prickly pear cactus have yellow, red or purple flowers, even among the same species. ![]()
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