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Prickly pear

Opuntia ficus-indica

Prickly pear, or nopal, is a big, tree-like cactus from Mexico grown for two foods: the tender young pads (nopales), eaten as a vegetable, and the sweet fruit (tunas). It's tough and drought-proof once rooted, but it needs full sun and sharp drainage. Even spineless types carry glochids, tiny barbed hairs that stick in skin at a touch.

Tree facts

Scientific name
Opuntia ficus-indica
Origin
Central Mexico
Tree size
10–15 ft tall and about as wide
Growth rate
Medium
Sun
Full sun all day, with some shelter from cold winter winds.
Soil
Dry, sandy, fast-draining soil. Once established, water only when the soil is completely dry, about once or twice a month; shriveling pads mean it's thirsty. Soggy soil rots the roots.
Soil pH
No reliable data; tolerates a wide range of soils if they drain
Pollination
No reliable data in the sources used.
Cold hardiness
Most plants take about 20°F; some only 30°F, and a few hardier types about 10°F.
USDA zones
9–11
Years to first fruit
3–4 from seed; pads from a rooted cutting can be picked within months
Season
Sep–Nov
Water
About every 21 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young
Feeding
About every 30 days, Mar–Oct
Taste
Very sweet and juicy, with many small hard seeds
Nutrition
No reliable nutrition figures in the sources used

Is prickly pear safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

  • Young pads (nopales), with spines and glochids scraped off, raw or cooked
  • Ripe fruit, peeled, fresh or juiced

Toxic parts and cautions

  • Take care: Pads and fruit carry glochids, tiny barbed hairs that lodge in skin and are hard to remove. Handle with tongs or thick gloves, and scrape or peel before eating.
  • Good to know: It spreads easily, hybridizes with other prickly pears, and is listed as invasive in some hot, dry regions. Keep it in check and don't plant it near wild land.

Pets: No reliable data on toxicity for dogs, cats or horses. The spines and glochids can injure mouths and paws.

How to eat and enjoy prickly pear

  • Nopales grilled, sautéed with eggs, or in salads and tacos
  • Pickled nopales
  • Fresh fruit, chilled and peeled
  • Juice, jelly, syrup and sorbet

When it's ripe

Flowers open in late spring and early summer, and fruit is at its best from about September to November. It's ready when fully colored and the glochids drop off easily. Twist it off rather than pulling, to avoid tearing the pad. Cut young pads from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, when they're least sour.

Storing it

Ripe fruit stays at its best for about a week. Keep fresh pads bright green and firm, and use them soon.

Pests and diseases to watch for

  • Scale insects

    Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

    What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

  • Mealybugs

    White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

    What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

  • Aphids

    Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

    What to do: Spray off with water.

  • Sooty mold

    Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

    What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

  • Spider mites

    Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

    What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.

Growing prickly pears? Let Yardkin keep track.

Yardkin tells you when your prickly pear needs water based on your local weather, reminds you to feed and prune in season, and keeps every harvest and photo.

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General guidance, not medical or veterinary advice. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.