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Opuntia humifusa


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Opuntia humifusa
  • Scientific Name: Opuntia humifusa
  • Common Name: devil's-tongue
  • Symbol: OPHU
  • Category: Dicot
  • Genus: Opuntia
  • Family: Cactaceae
  • Family Common Name: Cactus family
  • Order: Caryophyllales
  • Class: Magnoliopsida
  • Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Duration: Perennial
  • Growth Habit: Shrub
  • Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
  • Edible: unknown
  • AL AR CO CT DE FL GA IA IL IN KS KY LA MA MI MN MO MT NC NE NJ NM NY OH OK PA RI SC SD TN TX VA WI WV

    Prickly Pear Cactus


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  • Scientific Name: Opuntia humifusa
  • Common Name(s): Prickly Pear Cactus
  • Edible: yes
  • Medicinal: yes
  • Parts Used: stem, leaf


  • crashdive123
    24 Aug, 2009

    WARNING: Handle with gloves!
    Current Rating: 0.5000
    ravenscar
    25 Oct, 2010

    Grown as ordementals all over the south. many grow in the blackjack forests of east texas, although i have only came across a few that where doing well. Cultivation: leave the original pad intact, and take the pads farthest away from the base pads. plant in areas where you can add support for then they get taller, for easyer access and to maximize your plot. ticks like to rest on the undersides while they digest blood, so watchout.
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    ravenscar
    25 Oct, 2010

    as a rule of thumb, do not use any cactas or cacti that have white sap, although I think the only kinds that do are carribean
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    crashdive123
    24 Aug, 2009

    Note the jointed pads tufted with bristles and showy yellow flowers. Fruit dull red, pulpy. Variable; usually prostrate flowers.
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    crashdive123
    24 Aug, 2009

    Where found: Rocks, dry sandy soil. Minn. to Mass., south to Okla., Florida. Glowers: May-July. Gruit: August - October.
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    crashdive123
    24 Aug, 2009

    Use: Fruit, flour, thickener, cooked vegetable. The fleshy pulp between the skin and seeds of the fruit is excellent chilled; remove the bristles with a damp cloth. The dried seeds can be ground to use as flour or a soup thickener. The tender pads can be peeled, prepared like green beans.
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    crashdive123
    24 Aug, 2009

    Most common eastern cactus. Uses: American Indians poulticed peeled pads on wounds, applied juice of fruits to warts, and drank pad tea for lung ailments. In folk medicine, peeled pads poulticed for rheumatism, juice used for "gravel" (kidney stones), baked pads used for gout, chronic ulcers, and wounds.
    Current Rating: 0.0000
    All Pictures

    Prickly Pear Cactus Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Ripe Fruit Prickly-Pear Cactus with immature fruit Prickly Pear Cactus with immature fruit Prickly Pear Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus Prickly Pear Cactus


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