{{redirect|Cactus pears|the 2025 film whose title translates as "cactus pears"|Sabar Bonda}} {{Short description|Genus of cactus}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Use American English|date=March 2025}} {{cs1 config|name-list-style=vanc|display-authors=3}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Opuntia littoralis var vaseyi 4.jpg |image_caption = [[Opuntia littoralis|''O. littoralis'' var. ''vaseyi'']] |display_parents = 2 |taxon = Opuntia |authority = [[Philip Miller|Mill.]] |subdivision_ranks = [[Species]] |subdivision = Many, see [[List of Opuntia species]] |synonyms = * ''Chaffeyopuntia'' <small>[[Alberto Vojtěch Frič|Frič]] & [[Ernst Schelle|Schelle]]</small> * ''Ficindica'' <small>[[St.-Lag.]]</small> * ''Nopalea'' <small>[[Joseph zu Salm-Reifferscheidt-Dyck|Salm-Dyck]]</small> * ''Phyllarthus'' <small>[[Noël Martin Joseph de Necker|Neck.]] ex [[M.Gómez]] (nom. inval.)</small> * ''Salmiopuntia'' <small>[[Alberto Vojtěch Frič|Frič]] (nom. inval.)</small> * ''Tunas'' <small>[[Joël Lunell|Lunell]]</small> and see text }}
'''''Opuntia''''', commonly called the '''prickly pear cactus''', is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the [[cactus]] [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers.<ref name="cabi">{{cite web|title=''Opuntia ficus-indica'' (prickly pear)|url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/37714|publisher=CABI|access-date=23 May 2018|date=3 January 2018}}</ref> Cacti are native to the Americas, and are well adapted to [[aridity|arid climates]]; however, they are still vulnerable to alterations in precipitation and temperature driven by climate change.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Albuquerque |first1=Fabio |last2=Benito |first2=Blas |last3=Rodriguez |first3=Miguel Ángel Macias |last4=Gray |first4=Caitlin |date=2018-09-19 |title=Potential changes in the distribution of ''Carnegiea gigantea'' under future scenarios |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=6 |article-number=e5623 |doi=10.7717/peerj.5623 |doi-access=free |issn=2167-8359 |pmc=6151114 |pmid=30258720}}</ref> The plant has been introduced to Australia, southern Europe, the [[Middle East]], and parts of Africa.
''Prickly pear'' alone is also used to refer to the fruit, but may also be used for the plant itself; in addition, other names given to the plant and its specific parts include ''tuna'' (fruit), ''sabra'', ''sabbar'', ''[[nopal]]'' (pads, plural ''nopales,'' from the [[Nahuatl]] word {{lang|nah|nōpalli}}), nostle (fruit) from the Nahuatl word {{lang|nah|nōchtli}}, and paddle cactus. The genus is named for the [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] city of [[Opus, Greece|Opus]].<ref name=":2">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kaN-hLL-3qEC |first=Umberto |last=Quattrocchi |title=CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names |volume=III M-Q |year=2000 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-8493-2677-6 |page=1885}}</ref> The fruit and stems are edible. The most common [[culinary art|culinary species]] is the "Barbary fig" (''[[Opuntia ficus-indica]]'').
In places where they have been introduced outside their native range, some species in the genus ''Opuntia'' behave as aggressive [[invasive species]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Novoa |first1=Ana |last2=Le Roux |first2=Johannes J |last3=Robertson |first3=Mark P |last4=Wilson |first4=John RU |last5=Richardson |first5=David M |date=2014-12-03 |title=Introduced and invasive cactus species: a global review |journal=AoB Plants |language=en |volume=7 |doi=10.1093/aobpla/plu078 |doi-access=free |issn=2041-2851 |pmc=4318432 |pmid=25471679}}</ref>
== Description == [[File:Prickly Pear Closeup.jpg|thumb|Typical [[Morphology (biology)|morphology]]|alt=Typical morphology of a plant with fruit]]
''[[Opuntia ficus-indica|O. ficus-indica]]'' is a large, trunk-forming, segmented cactus that may grow to {{convert|5-7|m|0|abbr=off}} with a crown of over {{cvt|3|m|0}} in diameter and a trunk diameter of {{convert|1|m|yd|0|abbr=in}}.<ref name=cabi/> [[Cladode]]s (large pads) are green to blue-green, bearing few spines up to {{convert|2.5|cm|0|abbr=off}} or may be spineless.<ref name=cabi/> Prickly pears typically grow with flat, rounded cladodes (also called platyclades) containing large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike prickles called [[glochid]]s that readily adhere to skin or hair, then detach from the plant. The flowers are typically large, axillary, solitary, bisexual, and [[Ovary_(botany)#Inferior_ovary|epigynous]], with a [[perianth]] consisting of distinct, spirally arranged [[tepal]]s and a [[hypanthium]]. The [[stamen]]s are numerous and in spiral or whorled clusters, and the [[gynoecium]] has numerous inferior ovaries per carpel. Placentation is parietal, and the fruit is a berry with arillate seeds. Prickly pear species can vary greatly in habit; most are shrubs, but some, such as ''[[Opuntia galapageia|O. galapageia]]'' of the Galápagos, are trees.
=== Growth === <gallery mode="packed" style="text-align:left"> File:Prickly Pear 2.JPG|Bud appears File:Prickly pear leaf bud.JPG|Bud grows File:Prickly Pear 2half.JPG|Bud begins pad transformation File:Opuntia leaf.JPG|Bud completes pad transformation File:Prickly Pear 4half.JPG|Pad continues growth File:Prickly Pear 5half.JPG|Edible pad (tender) File:Prickly Pear 5.JPG|Mature pad File:Mature pad with flower.jpg|Mature pad with flower </gallery>
== Taxonomy == [[File:Opuntia Cactus in Behbahan.jpg|alt=Opuntia lindheimeri blooming, Behbahan|thumb|''[[Opuntia lindheimeri|O. lindheimeri]]'', [[Behbahan]]]] [[File:Opuntia cochenillifera (Cactaceae) - Buds.jpg|alt=Buds of Opuntia cochenillifera|thumb|''[[Opuntia cochenillifera|O. cochenillifera]]'']] When [[Carl Linnaeus]] published ''[[Species Plantarum]]'' in 1753 – the starting point for modern botanical nomenclature – he placed all the species of cactus known to him in one genus, ''Cactus''. In 1754, the Scottish botanist [[Philip Miller]] divided them into several genera, including ''Opuntia''. He distinguished the genus largely on the form of its flowers and fruits.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Philip |title=The Gardener's Dictionary |volume=v.2 |date=1754 |edition=4th |publisher=John & James Rivington |location=[[London]] |contribution=Opuntia |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/44046539 |access-date=2014-06-13 }}</ref>
Considerable variation of taxonomy occurs within ''Opuntia'' species, resulting in names being created for variants or subtypes within a species, and use of [[DNA sequencing]] to define and isolate various species.<ref name="cabi"/>
===Species=== :''See [[List of Opuntia species]]'' ''Opuntia'' [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridizes]] readily between species.<ref name="griffith2004">{{cite journal |last1=Griffith |first1=M. P. |year=2004 |title=The origins of an important cactus crop, ''Opuntia ficus-indica'' (Cactaceae): New molecular evidence |journal=[[American Journal of Botany]] |volume=91 |issue=11 |pages=1915–1921 |doi=10.3732/ajb.91.11.1915 |pmid=21652337 |s2cid=10454390 }}</ref> This can make classification difficult, yielding a reticulate phylogeny where different species come together in hybridization.<ref name="Majure 847–864"/> ''Opuntia'' also has a tendency for [[polyploid]]y. The ancestral diploid state was 2n=22, but many species are hexaploid (6n = 66) or octaploid (8n = 88).<ref name="Majure 847–864"/>
===Formerly in ''Opuntia''=== [[File:Jumping Cholla-JRO.jpg|thumb|''[[Opuntia engelmannii|O. engelmannii]]'' in front of a jumping cholla (''[[Cylindropuntia fulgida]]'')]] * ''[[Austrocylindropuntia]]'' * ''[[Brasiliopuntia]]'' * ''[[Corynopuntia]]'' * ''[[Cylindropuntia]]'' * ''[[Disocactus phyllanthoides]]'' (as ''O. speciosa'') * ''[[Micropuntia]]'' * ''[[Miqueliopuntia]]''
====Chollas==== {{Main|Cylindropuntia}}
Chollas, now recognized to belong to the distinct genus ''Cylindropuntia'', are distinguished by having cylindrical, rather than flattened, stem segments with large barbed spines. The stem joints of several species, notably the [[jumping cholla]] (''C. fulgida''), are very brittle on young stems, readily breaking off when the barbed spines stick to clothing or animal fur as a method of [[vegetative reproduction]]. The barbed spines can remain embedded in the skin, causing discomfort and sometimes injury.
=== Breeding === One of the ancient homes of the cactus pear, Mexico, ran a [[crop breeding program|breeding program]] in the 1960s.<ref name="PBR-20"/> This effort at the [[Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University]] (Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, UAAAN) produced improvements in some traits including [[cold-hardiness]].<ref name="PBR-20">{{ Cite book|date= 2001|volume= 20| publication-place = Oxford, UK| pages= 1–13|last= Janick|first= Jules| isbn= 978-0-471-38788-6| title=Plant Breeding Reviews| issn = 0730-2207| publisher= Wiley, Inc. American Society for Horticultural Science, Crop Science Society of America, Society of American Foresters, National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders}}</ref>
=== Chemistry === ''Opuntia'' contains diverse [[phytochemicals]] in variable quantities, such as [[polyphenol]]s, [[mineral (nutrient)|dietary minerals]], and [[betalain]]s.<ref name="jfi">{{Cite journal |last1=Guzmán-Maldonado |first1=S. H. |last2=Morales-Montelongo |first2=A. L. |last3=Mondragón-Jacobo |first3=C. |last4=Herrera-Hernández |first4=G. |last5=Guevara-Lara |first5=F. |last6=Reynoso-Camacho |first6=R.|year=2010 |title=Physicochemical, Nutritional, and Functional Characterization of Fruits Xoconostle (''Opuntia matudae'') Pears from Central-México Region |journal=Journal of Food Science |volume=75 |issue=6 |pages=C485–92 |doi=10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01679.x |pmid=20722901}}</ref><ref name="Butera2002">{{cite journal |last=Butera |first=Daniela |author2=Luisa Tesoriere |author3=Francesca Di Gaudio |author4=Antonino Bongiorno |author5=Mario Allegra |author6=Anna Maria Pintaudi |author7=Rohn Kohen |author8=Maria A. Livrea|year=2002 |title=Antioxidant activities of sicilian prickly pear (''Opuntia ficus indica'') fruit extracts and reducing properties of its betalains: betanin and indicaxanthin |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=50 |issue=23 |pages=6895–6901 |doi=10.1021/jf025696p |pmid=12405794 |bibcode=2002JAFC...50.6895B |hdl-access=free |hdl=10447/107910}}</ref> Identified compounds under [[basic research]] include [[gallic acid]], [[vanillic acid]] and [[catechins]], as examples.<ref name="jfi"/> [[Opuntia ficus-indica|O. ficus-indica]] contains betalain, [[betanin]], and [[indicaxanthin]], with highest levels in their fruits.<ref name="Butera2002"/>
==Distribution and habitat== Like most true cactus species, prickly pears are native only to the [[Americas]]. Through human action, they have since been introduced to many other areas of the world.<ref name="cabi"/><ref name="Majure 847–864">{{Cite journal |last1=Majure |first1=Lucas C. |last2=Puente |first2=Raul |last3=Griffith |first3=M. Patrick |last4=Judd |first4=Walter S. |last5=Soltis |first5=Pamela S. |last6=Soltis |first6=Douglas E. |date=2012-05-01 |title=Phylogeny of ''Opuntia'' s.s. (Cactaceae): Clade delineation, geographic origins, and reticulate evolution |journal=[[American Journal of Botany]] |language=en |volume=99 |issue=5 |pages=847–864 |doi=10.3732/ajb.1100375 |issn=0002-9122 |pmid=22539520|bibcode=2012AmJB...99..847M }}</ref> Prickly pear species are found in abundance in [[Mexico]], especially in the central and western regions, and in the [[Caribbean]] islands ([[West Indies]]). In the [[United States]], prickly pears are native to many areas of the arid, semi-arid, and drought-prone [[Western United States|Western]] and [[South Central United States|South Central]] United States, including the lower elevations of the [[Rocky Mountains]] and southern [[Great Plains]], where species such as ''[[Opuntia phaeacantha|O. phaeacantha]]'' and ''[[Opuntia polyacantha|O. polyacantha]]'' have become dominant, and to the desert Southwest, where several types are endemic. Prickly pear cactus is also native to sandy coastal beach scrub environments of the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] from [[Florida]] to southern [[Connecticut]], where ''[[Opuntia humifusa|O. humifusa]]'', ''[[Opuntia stricta|O. stricta]]'', and ''O. pusilla'', are found from the East Coast south into the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Bahamas]]. Additionally, the eastern prickly pear is native to the midwestern "sand prairies" near major river systems, such as the Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio rivers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Pages/CDHabitatSandPrairie.aspx|title=Sand prairie|publisher=[[Illinois Department of Natural Resources]]|date=2020|access-date=23 January 2020}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The plant also occurs naturally in hilly areas of southern [[Illinois]], and sandy or rocky areas of northern Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/prickly_pearx.htm|title= Eastern prickly pear, ''Opuntia humifusa'', Cactus family (Cactaceae)|website=Illinois Wildflowers|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref>
''Opuntia'' species are the most cold-tolerant of the lowland cacti, extending into western and southern [[Canada]]. One [[subspecies]], [[Opuntia fragilis|''O. fragilis'' var. ''fragilis'']], has been found growing along the [[Beatton River]] in north-eastern [[British Columbia]], southwest of [[Cecil Lake]] at 56° 17' N latitude and 120° 39' W longitude.<ref name="Cota-Sánchez">{{cite journal | last1=Cota-Sánchez | first1=J. Hugo | date=2002 | title=Taxonomy, distribution, rarity status and uses of Canadian Cacti |journal=[[Haseltonia (journal)|Haseltonia]] | publisher=[[Cactus and Succulent Society of America]] | volume=9 | pages=17–25 | url=http://www.usask.ca/biology/cota-sanchez/lab/sec/canadian_cacti_abstract.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325214421/https://biolwww.usask.ca/biology/cota-sanchez/lab/publications/articles/Cota-Sanchez_Haseltonia_2002.pdf | archive-date=2022-03-25}}</ref> Others are seen in the Kleskun Hills Natural Area of north-west [[Alberta]] at 55° 15' 30'{{'}} N latitude and 118° 30' 36'{{'}} W longitude.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/northwest/kleskun-hill-na/|title=Kleskun Hill Natural Area|access-date=15 January 2022|archive-date=15 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115062810/https://www.albertaparks.ca/parks/northwest/kleskun-hill-na/}}</ref>
Prickly pears produce a fruit known as ''tuna'', commonly eaten in [[Mexico]] and in the [[Mediterranean region]], which is also used to make ''[[aguas frescas]]''.<ref name="cabi"/> The fruit can be red, wine-red, green, or yellow-orange. In the [[Galápagos Islands]], the Galápagos prickly pear, [[Opuntia galapageia|''O. galapageia'']], has previously been treated as a number of different species, but is now only divided into varieties and subvarieties.<ref name="POWO_317749-2">{{cite web |title=''Opuntia galapageia'' Hensl. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:317749-2 |access-date=2021-06-03 }}</ref> Most of these are confined to one or a few islands, so they have been described as "an excellent example of [[adaptive radiation]]".<ref>Fitter, Fitter, and Hosking, Wildlife of the Galapagos (2000)</ref> On the whole, islands with tall, trunked varieties are also the home of giant tortoises, whereas islands lacking tortoises have low or prostrate forms of ''Opuntia''. Prickly pears are a prime source of food for the common giant tortoises in the Galápagos Islands, so they are important in the food web.
[[Charles Darwin]] was the first to note that the cacti have [[thigmotaxis|thigmotactic]] [[anther]]s. When the anthers are touched, they curl over, depositing their [[pollen]] on the [[pollinator]]. That movement can be seen by gently poking the anthers of an open ''Opuntia'' [[flower]]. The same trait has [[convergent evolution|evolved convergently]] in other genera (e.g. ''[[Lophophora]]'').
Natural distribution of the plant occurs via consumption and associated [[seed dispersal]] by many animals, including [[antelope]]s, nonhuman [[primate]]s, [[elephant]]s, birds, and humans.<ref name="cabi" /> When ingested by elephants, the sharp components of the plant cause harm to the mouth, stomach, and intestines.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-26 |title=A Plague of Cactus |url=https://www.biographic.com/a-plague-of-cactus/ |access-date=2020-12-06 |website=bioGraphic |language=en-US}}</ref>
Prickly pears (mostly ''O. stricta'') were originally imported into Europe during the 16th century.<ref name="cabi" /> They are now found in the Mediterranean region of [[Northern Africa]], especially in [[Algeria]], [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]], where they grow all over the countryside, and in parts of [[Southern Europe]], especially [[Spain]], where they can be found in the east, south-east, and south of the country, and also in [[Malta]], where they grow all over the islands, and in southern [[Italy]], especially in Sicily and Sardinia. They can be found in enormous numbers in parts of [[South Africa]], where they were introduced from South America.<ref name="cabi" />
The prickly pear is considered an [[invasive species]] in [[Prickly pears in Australia|Australia]], [[Ethiopia]], [[South Africa]], and [[Hawaii]], among other locations.<ref name="cabi" />
=== Australia === The first introduction of prickly pears into [[Australia]] is ascribed to the founding governor of the New South Wales colony, [[Arthur Phillip]], and the earliest European colonists, in 1788. Brought from [[Brazil]] to [[Sydney]], they were most likely ''O. monacantha''. That variety did not spread beyond the east coast. However, a number of other types of prickly pear were introduced to Australian gardens in the mid-19th century. The cactus was also used as agricultural fencing and a feedstock for animals in times of drought,<ref name=museum>{{cite web |title=Prickly pear eradication |url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/prickly-pear-eradication |publisher=The National Museum of Australia |access-date=2023-04-13}}</ref><ref name="patt">Patterson, Ewen K. 1936. The World's First Insect Memorial. "The Review of the River Plate", December pp. 16–17</ref> as well as in an attempt to establish a [[cochineal]] dye industry.
The cactus became a widespread [[invasive weed]] in the dry interior climate west of the [[Great Dividing Range]], in New South Wales and [[Queensland]],<ref name=museum/> eventually converting {{convert|101000|mi2|km2|order=flip}} of farming land into an impenetrable green jungle of prickly pears in places {{cvt|20|ft|m|0|order=flip}} high. Scores of farmers were driven off their land by what they called the "green hell", and their abandoned homes were crushed under the cactus growth, which advanced at a rate of {{convert|1|e6acre|ha|order=flip|abbr=off}} per year.<ref name="patt"/>
In 1919, the [[Government of Australia|Australian federal government]] established the Commonwealth Prickly Pear Board to coordinate efforts with state governments to eradicate the weed. Early attempts, comprising mechanical removal and poisonous chemicals failed. As a last resort, biological control was attempted.<ref name="patt"/> In 1925, the ''[[Cactoblastis cactorum]]'' [[moth]] was introduced from [[South America]], and its larvae rapidly began to control the infestation. [[Alan Parkhurst Dodd|Alan Dodd]], the son of the noted entomologist [[Frederick Parkhurst Dodd]], was a leading official in combating the prickly pear. A memorial hall in [[Boonarga, Queensland]], commemorates the efforts of the moth.<ref name="patt"/> The release of cochineal insects, which eat the cactus and simultaneously kill the plant, has also proven an effective measure for combating its spread.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Alexander |first=W. B. |title=Control of Prickly Pear by the Cochineal Insect |journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |year=1931 |language=en |volume=128 |issue=3223 |page=226 |doi=10.1038/128226c0 |bibcode=1931Natur.128..226A |s2cid=4065020 |issn=1476-4687 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
=== South Africa === {{Main|Prickly pears in South Africa}} In [[South Africa]], many species of Opuntia are considered highly invasive including ''O. aurantiaca'', ''O. elata'', ''O. engelmannii'', ''O. ficus-indica'', ''O. humifusa'', ''O. leucotricha'', ''O. microdasys'', ''O. monacantha'', ''O. pubescens'', ''O. robusta'', ''O. salmiana'', ''O. spinulifera'', ''O. stricta'' and ''O. tomentosa''. These species are classified as Category 1 invaders, and targeted for national eradication; most activities with regards to the species are prohibited (such as importing, propagating, introducing, translocating or trading).<ref name=":2" /> It was also found that invasive Opuntia species have adverse effects on the beetle population in the [[Kruger National Park]], and widespread invasions alter soil characteristics.<ref name=":3" />
== Ecology == {{See also|Prickly pears in Australia|Prickly pears in South Africa}}
''O. ficus-indica'' thrives in regions with mild winters having a prolonged dry spell followed by hot summers with occasional rain and relatively low humidity.<ref name="cabi"/> A mean annual rainfall of {{convert|350-500|mm|frac=2}} provides good growth rates.<ref name="cabi"/> ''O. ficus-indica'' proliferates in various soils ranging from sub[[acid]] to sub[[alkaline]], with clay content not exceeding 15–20% and the soil well drained.<ref name="cabi"/> The shallow root system enables the plant to grow in shallow, loose soils, such as on mountain slopes.<ref name="cabi"/> ''Opuntia'' spreads into large clonal colonies, which contribute to its being considered a [[noxious weed]] in some places.<ref name="cabi"/><ref name="griffith2004"/>
''Opuntia'' species are primarily pollinated by [[bee]]s, including some bee genera (''[[Diadasia]]'' and ''[[Lithurgus]]'') that contain specialist pollinators ([[Oligolecty|oligoleges]]) that exclusively visit ''Opuntia''.<ref name="Review">J.A. Reyes-Agüero, J.R. Aguirre R., A. Valiente-Banuet (2006) Reproductive biology of ''Opuntia'': A review. ''Journal of Arid Environments'' 64(4):549-585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2005.06.018</ref> Only a few ''Opuntia'' species, such as ''[[Opuntia cochenillifera|O. cochenillifera]]'' and ''[[Opuntia stenopetala|O. stenopetala]]'', are pollinated by [[hummingbird]]s.<ref name="Review"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-taxon.php&taxonid=20359|title=Opuntia cochenillifera detail - FSUS|website=Fsus.ncbg.unc.edu|access-date=2024-05-15}}</ref>
Animals that eat ''Opuntia'' include the [[prickly pear island snail]] and ''[[Cyclura]]'' rock iguanas. The fruit are relished by many arid-land animals, chiefly birds, which thus help distribute the seeds. ''Opuntia'' [[pathogen]]s include the sac fungus ''[[Colletotrichum coccodes]]'' and Sammons' Opuntia virus. The ant, ''Crematogaster opuntiae'', and spider, ''Theridion opuntia'', are named because of their association with the prickly pear cactus.
== Toxicity == Although the plants are edible, the pointed hairs should not be eaten, and similar species with milky sap are suspect.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing; United States Department of the Army |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-60239-692-0 |location=New York City |page=81 |language=en-US |oclc=277203364}}</ref>
== Uses == {{nutritionalvalue | name=Prickly pear, raw | kJ=172 | protein=0.7 g | fat=0.5 g | carbs=9.6 g | fiber=3.6 g | calcium_mg=56 | iron_mg=0.3 | magnesium_mg=85 | phosphorus_mg=24 | potassium_mg=220 | zinc_mg=0.1 | vitC_mg= 14.0 | riboflavin_mg=0.1 | niacin_mg=0.5 | vitB6_mg=0.1 | folate_ug=6 | vitA_ug =25 | vitE_mg=0 | water=88 g | note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/167750/nutrients Full Link to USDA Database entry] }}
===Nutrition=== Raw opuntia leaves are 88% water, 10% [[carbohydrate]]s, and less than 1% both of [[protein (nutrient)|protein]] and [[fat]] (table). In a reference amount of {{convert|100|g}}, raw leaves provide 41 [[calorie]]s of [[food energy]], 16% of the [[Daily Value]] (DV) for [[vitamin C]], and 20% DV for [[magnesium in biology|magnesium]], with no other [[micronutrient]]s in significant content (table).
===Regional food uses=== {{main|Nopal}} {{see also|Cactus fries|List of edible cacti}} [[File:PricklyPearClose.jpg|thumb|Close-up of prickly pear fruit: Apart from the large spines, the glochids (the fine prickles, or bristles) may dislodge and cause skin or eye irritation.]]
The fruit of prickly pears, commonly called cactus fruit, cactus fig, Indian fig (meaning "[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]", not "of [[India]]"), ''nopales''<ref name="uc">{{cite web |author=Yvonne Savio |url=http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/pubs/brochures/Pricklypear/ |title=Prickly pear cactus production |publisher=[[University of California – Davis]] |website=Small Farm Center |date=1989 |access-date=23 December 2015 |archive-date=15 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815204710/http://sfp.ucdavis.edu/pubs/brochures/Pricklypear/ }}</ref> or ''tuna'' in Spanish,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ej3cNgbF90gC&pg=PA381 |last=Grigson |first=Jane |title=Jane Grigson's Fruit Book |date=2007 |publisher=[[University of Nebraska Press]] |page=380 |isbn=978-0-8032-5993-5}}</ref> is edible, although it must be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lyle |first=Katie Letcher |title=The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them |publisher=[[FalconGuides]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-59921-887-8 |edition=2nd |location=[[Guilford, CT]] |page=168 |oclc=560560606 |orig-date=2004}}</ref> If the outer layer is not properly removed, [[glochid]]s can be ingested, causing discomfort of the throat, lips, and tongue, as the small spines are easily lodged in the skin. [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] like the [[Tequesta]] would roll the fruit around in a suitable medium (e.g. [[wikt:grit|grit]]) to "[[sandpaper|sand]]" off the glochids. Alternatively, rotating the fruit in the flame of a campfire or torch has been used to remove the glochids. Today, [[Parthenocarpy|parthenocarpic]] (seedless) [[cultivar]]s are also available. The seeds can be used for flour.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Angier |first=Bradford |url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoedib00angi/page/178/mode/2up |title=Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=[[Stackpole Books]] |year=1974 |isbn=0-8117-0616-8 |location=[[Harrisburg, PA]] |page=178 |oclc=799792 |author-link=Bradford Angier}}</ref>
In Mexico, prickly pears are often used to make appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, vegetable dishes, breads, desserts, beverages, [[candy]], [[fruit preserves|jelly]], and drinks.<ref name=uc/><ref name="candy_jelly">{{cite news |last=Midey |first=Connie |title=A magical plant |url=http://www.azcentral.com/health/diet/articles/0531prickly0531.html |access-date=May 22, 2010 |newspaper=[[The Arizona Republic]] |date=May 31, 2005}}</ref><ref name="vodka">{{cite news |last=Jarman |first=Max |title=Hand crafted hooch: Prickly pear vodka from Flagstaff |url=http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/1012distillery-ON-CP.html |access-date=May 22, 2010 |newspaper=[[The Arizona Republic]] |date=October 11, 2005}}</ref> The young [[Plant stem|stem]] segments, usually called pads or ''nopales'', are also edible in most species of ''Opuntia''.<ref name=uc/><ref name=":0"/> They are commonly used in [[Mexican cuisine]] in dishes such as ''huevos con nopales'' ([[egg (food)|eggs]] with nopal), or ''[[taco]]s de nopales''. ''Nopales'' are also an important ingredient in [[New Mexican cuisine]].<ref name=uc/> In 2009 it was introduced as a cheaper alternative to corn for the production of tortillas and other corn products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trevino |first=Miguel Trancozo |date=26 May 2020 |title=The remarkable power of the prickly pear |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200521-mexican-cacti-a-sustainable-biofuel-from-the-desert |access-date=2020-06-01 |website=bbc.com |language=en}}</ref> They can also be pickled.<ref name=":1"/>
''Opuntia ficus-indica'' has been introduced to Europe, and flourishes in areas with a suitable climate, such as the south of [[France]] and southern [[Italy]]: In [[Sicily]], they are referred to as ''fichi d'India'' (Italian literal translation of Indian fig) or ''ficurinia'' ([[Sicilian language]] literal translation of Indian fig). In [[Sardinia]], they are called ''figumorisca'' ("Moorish figs"), the same denomination they receive along the [[Catalan language|Catalan]]-speaking regions of the Western Mediterranean, ''figa de moro''. They can be found also in the [[Struma River]] in [[Bulgaria]], in southern [[Portugal]] and [[Madeira]] (where they are called ''tabaibo'', ''figo tuno'', or "Indian figs"), in [[Andalusia]], [[Spain]] (where they are known as ''higos chumbos''). In [[Greece]], it grows in such places as the [[Peloponnese]] region, [[Ionian Islands]], or [[Crete]], and its figs are known as ''frangosyka'' (Frankish, i.e. Western European, figs) or ''pavlosyka'' ("Paul's figs"), depending on the region. In [[Albania]], they are called ''fiq deti'' translated as "sea figs", and are present in the south-west shore. The figs are also grown in [[Cyprus]], where they are known as ''papoutsósyka'' or ''babutsa'' ("shoe figs").
The prickly pear also grows widely on the islands of Malta, where it is enjoyed by the Maltese as a typical summer fruit (known as ''bajtar tax-xewk'', literally "spiny figs"), as well as being used to make the popular liqueur known as ''[[bajtra]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author=George Cini |date=March 20, 2003 |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030320/local/i-zeppis-bajtra-i-the-liqueur-from-the-prickly-pear-fruit.154122 |title=Zeppi's Bajtra, the liqueur from the prickly pear fruit |work=[[Times of Malta]]}}</ref> The prickly pear is so commonly found in the Maltese islands, it is often used as a dividing wall between many of Malta's characteristic terraced fields in place of the usual rubble walls.
The prickly pear was introduced to [[Eritrea]] during the period of Italian colonisation between 1890 and 1940. It is locally known there as ''beles'' and is abundant during the late summer and early autumn (late July through September). The ''beles'' from the holy monastery of [[Debre Bizen]] is said to be particularly sweet and juicy.
In [[Morocco]], [[Tunisia]], [[Libya]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Jordan]], and other parts of [[North Africa]] and the [[Middle East]], prickly pears of the yellow and orange varieties are grown by the side of farms, beside railway tracks and other otherwise non[[cultivable]] land. It is sold in summer by street vendors, and is considered a refreshing fruit for that season.
''Tungi'' is the local [[Saint Helena|St. Helenian]] name for cactus pears. The plants ([[Opuntia ficus-indica|Indian fig opuntia]]) were originally brought to the island by the colonial ivory traders from East Africa in the 1850s. ''Tungi'' cactus now grows wild in the dry coastal regions of the island. Three principal cultivars of ''tungi'' grow on the island: the "English" with yellow fruit; the "Madeira" with large red fruit; and the small, firm "spiny red". Tungi also gives its name to a local Spirit distilled at The St Helena distillery at Alarm Forest, the most remote distillery in the world, made entirely from the opuntia cactus.
Cactus pear is being promoted and researched by [[ICARDA]] for [[India]], [[Jordan]], and [[Pakistan]] especially.<ref name = "India-Jordan"/> It is an underappreciated crop in these countries and has undergone recent expansion in cultivated area.<ref name = "India-Jordan"/> In some particularly promising areas of India and Pakistan it has given a 30% increase in [[milk]] yield /[[hectare]] (/[[acre]]).<ref name = "India-Jordan" > {{ Cite web | language = en | access-date = 2022-12-04 | year = 2022 | department = Home / Research Innovations / | first2 = Sawsan | first1 = Mounir | last2 = Hassan | last1 = Louhaichi | website = ICARDA | url = https://www.icarda.org/research/innovations/cactus-pear-better-nutrition-and-income | title = Cactus Pear for Better Nutrition and Income | publisher = [[ICARDA]] (The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas) }}</ref>
===Folk medicine=== In Mexican [[folk medicine]], its pulp and juice are considered treatments for [[wounds]] and [[inflammation]] of the [[digestive tract|digestive]] and [[urinary tract]]s,<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Frati AC, Xilotl Díaz N, Altamirano P, Ariza R, López-Ledesma R |title=The effect of two sequential doses of ''Opuntia streptacantha'' upon glycemia |journal=Archivos de Investigación Médica |volume=22 |issue=3–4 |pages=333–6 |year=1991 |pmid=1844121}}</ref> although there is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality evidence]] for any clinical benefit of using opuntia for these purposes.
Prior to modern medicine, Native Americans and Mexicans primarily used ''Opuntia'' as a coagulant for open wounds, using the pulp of the stem either by splitting the stem or scraping out the pulp.<ref>{{Cite journal | title = ''Opuntia'' spp.: Characterization and Benefits in Chronic Diseases | last1 = del Socorro Santos Díaz | first1 = María | last2 = Barba de la Rosa | first2 = Ana-Paulina | date = 2017 | journal = [[Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity]] | language = en | last3 = Héliès-Toussaint | first3 = Cécile | last4 = Guéraud | first4 = Françoise | last5 = Nègre-Salvayre | first5 = Anne | volume = 2017 | article-number = 8634249 | doi = 10.1155/2017/8634249 | pmid = 28491239 | pmc = 5401751 | doi-access = free}}</ref>
=== Other uses === ====Dye production==== {{Main|Cochineal}} [[File:Cochinel Zapotec nests.jpg|thumb|Traditional "Zapotec nest" farming of the cochineal scale insect on ''O. ficus-indica'', [[Oaxaca]]]]
''[[Dactylopius coccus]]'' is a [[scale insect]] from which [[cochineal]] dye is derived. ''D. coccus'' itself is native to tropical and subtropical [[South America]] and [[Mexico]]. This insect, a primarily [[Sessility (zoology)|sessile]] [[parasite]], lives on [[cactus|cacti]] from the genus ''Opuntia'', feeding on moisture and nutrients in the cactus sap. The insect produces [[carminic acid]], which deters predation by other insects. The carminic acid can be extracted from the insect's body and eggs to make the red dye.
Cochineal is used primarily as a [[red]] [[food colouring]] and for [[cosmetics]].<ref name=uc/> The cochineal dye was used by the [[Aztec]] and [[Maya civilization|Maya]] peoples of Central and North America, and by the [[Inca]] in South America. Produced almost exclusively in [[Oaxaca, Oaxaca|Oaxaca]], Mexico, by indigenous producers, cochineal became Mexico's second-most valued export after silver.{{sfnp|Behan|1995}} The dyestuff was consumed throughout Europe, and was so highly valued, its price was regularly quoted on the London and Amsterdam Commodity Exchanges.
The biggest producers of cochineal are [[Peru]], the [[Canary Islands]], and [[Chile]]. Current health concerns over artificial food additives have renewed the popularity of cochineal dyes, and the increased demand is making cultivation for insect farming an attractive opportunity in other regions, such as in Mexico, where cochineal production had declined again owing to the numerous natural enemies of the scale insect.{{sfnp|Portillo|Vigueras|1988}}
Apart from cochineal, the red dye [[betanin]] can be extracted from some ''Opuntia'' plants themselves.<ref name=uc/> The [[Navajo]] people have traditionally produced a reddish dye from the fruit of the prickly pear cactus, used in dyeing woolen yarns.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
====Animal fodder==== Cactus is used as a fodder crop for animals in arid and dryland regions.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Lee Allen |title=Strategic fodder – cactus to the rescue as livestock feed |url=https://www.farmprogress.com/miscellaneous/strategic-fodder-cactus-rescue-livestock-feed |publisher=FarmProgress |access-date=25 February 2020 |date=January 15, 2016}}</ref> Some farmers prepare it with a [[fermentation]] method to remove the spines and increase digestibility.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Pastorelli | first1 = Grazia | last2 = Serra | first2 = Valentina | last3 = Vannuccini | first3 = Camilla | last4 = Attard | first4 = Everaldo | date = January 2022 | title = ''Opuntia'' spp. as Alternative Fodder for Sustainable Livestock Production | journal = [[Animals (journal)|Animals]] | language = en | volume = 12 | issue = 13 | page = 1597 | doi = 10.3390/ani12131597 | pmid = 35804498 | pmc = 9265056 | issn = 2076-2615| doi-access = free }}</ref>
====Vegan leather==== The thick skin of nopal cactus can be harvested as an environmentally-friendly leather replacement.<ref>{{cite web | author1 = Derya Ozdemir | title = Creating Leather From Cactus to Save Animals and the Environment | url = https://interestingengineering.com/creating-leather-from-cactus-to-save-animals-and-the-environment | url-status = live | archive-date = 29 September 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220929010119/https://interestingengineering.com/science/creating-leather-from-cactus-to-save-animals-and-the-environment | publisher = Interesting Engineering | access-date = 23 June 2020 | date = June 23, 2020}}</ref>
====Biofuel==== [[Bioethanol]] can be produced from some ''Opuntia'' species.<ref name = "Cir">{{cite journal | last1 = Ciriminna | first1 = Rosaria | last2 = Delisi | first2 = Riccardo | last3 = Albanese | first3 = Lorenzo | last4 = Meneguzzo | first4 = Francesco | last5 = Pagliaro | first5 = Mario | title = ''Opuntia ficus-indica'' seed oil: Biorefinery and bioeconomy aspects | journal = European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology| volume = 119 | issue = 8 | date = 21 February 2017 | issn = 1438-7697 | doi = 10.1002/ejlt.201700013 | article-number = 1700013}}</ref>
== Culture == The prickly pear cactus has been used for centuries both as a food source and a natural fence that keeps in livestock and marks the boundaries of family lands.<ref name="uc"/> They are resilient and often grow back following removal.<ref name="uc"/>
[[File:Emblem of Malta (1975–1988).svg|thumb|upright=0.75|The emblem of Malta from 1975 to 1988]] The 1975–1988 version of the [[Coat of arms of Malta#Emblem between 1975 and 1988|emblem of Malta]] also featured a prickly pear, along with a [[Dgħajsa|traditional ''dgħajsa'']], a shovel and pitchfork, and the rising sun.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bonello |first1=Giovanni |date=8 May 2011 |title=Malta's three national emblems since independence – what's behind them? |work=[[Times of Malta]] |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110508/life-features/malta-s-three-national-emblems-since-independence-what-s-behind-them.364316 |access-date=30 October 2014}}</ref>
The prickly pear is the official plant of Texas by legislation from 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas State Symbols |url=https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/symbols|website=Tsl.texas|access-date=2024-05-15}}</ref>
The cactus lends its name to a song by British jazz/classical group [[Portico Quartet]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} The song "My Rival", on the album ''[[Gaucho (album)|Gaucho]]'' by the American jazz-pop group [[Steely Dan]] begins with the words, "The wind was driving in my face/The smell of prickly pear."<ref>{{cite web |title=Lyrics | Gaucho (1980) — My Rival |url=http://steelydan.com/lyrgaucho.html#track6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104122353/http://www.steelydan.com/lyrgaucho.html#track6 |archive-date=2006-11-04 |access-date=2010-05-08 |website=steelydan.com}}</ref>
In the fall of 1961, Cuba had its troops plant a {{convert|8|mi|0|order=flip|adj=on}} barrier of ''Opuntia'' cactus along the northeastern section of the {{convert|28|km|adj=on}} fence surrounding the [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base]] to stop Cubans from escaping Cuba to take refuge in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and Ecological Crises |url=http://www1.american.edu/TED/guantan.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327053019/http://www.american.edu/TED/guantan.htm |archive-date=2009-03-27 |access-date=2009-04-19 |work=Trade and Environment Database |publisher=[[American University]]}}</ref> This was dubbed the "Cactus Curtain", an allusion to [[Europe]]'s [[Iron Curtain]]<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 16, 1962 |title=Yankees Besieged |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940656,00.html |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229213928/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,940656,00.html |archive-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref> and the [[Bamboo Curtain]] in [[East Asia]].
Uruguayan-born footballer [[Bruno Fornaroli]] is nicknamed prickly pear due to his sometimes spiky hairstyles.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hill |first=Simon |date=11 December 2019 |title=Bruno Fornaroli proving a smart acquisition for Melbourne City |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/bruno-fornaroli-proving-a-smart-acquisition-for-melbourne-city/news-story/400ecd792a2e7022bddb42ba59f1c826 |access-date=19 October 2019 |website=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney}}</ref>
=== Mexico === [[File:Coat of arms of Mexico.svg|thumb|upright=0.75|The [[coat of arms of Mexico]]]] {{See also|Coat of arms of Mexico}}
The coat of arms of Mexico depicts a Mexican golden [[Eagle (heraldry)|eagle]], perched upon an ''Opuntia'' [[cactus]], holding a [[rattlesnake]]. According to the official history of Mexico, the coat of arms is inspired by an [[Aztec]] legend regarding the founding of [[Tenochtitlan]]. The Aztecs, then a nomadic tribe, were wandering throughout Mexico in search of a divine sign to indicate the precise spot upon which they were to build their capital. Their god [[Huitzilopochtli]] had commanded them to find an [[eagle]] devouring a snake, perched atop a cactus that grew on a rock submerged in a lake. After 200 years of wandering, they found the promised sign on a small island in the swampy [[Lake Texcoco]]. There they founded their new capital, [[Tenochtitlan]]. The cactus (''O. ficus-indica''; [[Nahuatl]]: ''tenochtli''), full of fruits, is the symbol for the island of Tenochtitlan.
=== Israeli-born Jews === {{Main articles|Sabra (person)}} The cactus fig is called '''''tzabar''''' in [[Hebrew]] ({{langx|he|צבר}}). This cactus is also the origin of the term ''[[Sabra (person)|sabra]]'' used to describe any [[Israeli Jews|Jew born in Israel]]. The allusion is to a thorny, spiky skin on the outside, but a soft, sweet interior, suggesting, though the [[Israel]]i sabras are rough on the outside, they are sweet and sensitive once one gets to know them.<ref>{{cite book |last=Almog |first=Oz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJnFSDne_5EC |title=The Sabra: The Creation of the New Jew |publisher=University of California Press |others=Translated by Haim Watzman |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-520-21642-6 |access-date=2018-04-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=Nov 16, 2006 |title=Over here and over there |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=http://www.economist.com/daily/diary/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8160028 |access-date=2007-10-16}}</ref> This term is derived from the related Arabic word for this cactus صبار ''ṣubbār'', where the related term ''sabr'' also translates to "patience" or "tenacity".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tamir |first=Tally |year=1999 |title=The Shadow of Foreignness: On the Paintings of Asim Abu-Shakra |url=http://www.pij.org/details.php?id=962 |journal=Palestine-Israel Journal |volume=6 |issue=1}}</ref> According to a modern study<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225175919_The_Prickly-pears_Opuntia_spp_Cactaceae_A_Source_of_Human_and_Animal_Food_in_Semiarid_Regions |title=The Prickly-pears (''Opuntia'' spp., Cactaceae): A Source of Human and Animal Food in Semiarid Regions |journal=Economic Botany |date=July 1987 |via=ResearchGate |author=Charles E. Russell |author2=Peter Felker |doi=10.1007/BF02859062}}</ref>, prickly pear was likely introduced to what is now the Land of Israel (the Levant) around the 18th century.
=== Palestinians ===
The prickly pear is also considered a [[List of national symbols of Palestine|national symbol of Palestine]], having been grown across [[Palestine (region)|historic Palestine]] for centuries, traditionally being used to mark out land boundaries. The plant is seen by Palestinians as representing qualities of resilience and patience, as represented by the Palestinian proverb ''saber as-sabbar'' ("the patience of the cactus"). Its use as an emblem of Palestine has been traced to a painting produced by the artist [[Zulfa al-Sa'di]] in the 1930s. Its visibility was renewed by historical research carried out in the 1980s and 1990s on the [[Nakba]], which revealed that many [[List of towns and villages depopulated during the 1947–1949 Palestine war|destroyed Palestinian villages]] subsequently saw regrowth of the cacti.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Abufarha |first1=Nasser |author-link1=Nasser Abufarha |year=2008 |title=Land of symbols: cactus, poppies, orange and olive trees in Palestine |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10702890802073274 |journal=Identities |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=343–368 |doi=10.1080/10702890802073274 |issn=1547-3384|access-date=6 January 2024|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The plant's ability to thrive anywhere is also considered to reflect the experiences of the [[Palestinian diaspora]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/palestine-plants-symbolic-meanings |title=Olive tree, za'atar, cactus: Palestine's symbolic plants and the meanings behind them |last=Khalil |first=Shahd Haj |date=8 September 2022 |website=[[Middle East Eye]] |access-date=6 January 2024}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:prickly pears.jpg|Prickly pear fruit at a market in [[Zacatecas, Zacatecas|Zacatecas]], Mexico File:Cactus fruit.jpg|Close-up of fruit File:Cheri's prickly pear candy.jpg|A box of prickly pear candy, often sold in Southwest U.S. gift shops File:Nopales alaventa.jpg|[[Nopal]]es </gallery>
== See also == * [[Pitaya]] * [[Sabra (character)]] * [[Sabra (person)]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Opuntia|''Opuntia''}} * {{Wikispecies-inline|Opuntia|''Opuntia''}} *[[Argiope argentata#Habitat and distribution]] *[https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/11l3i0/alma99260193402061 Prickly Pear Control Oral History], [[State Library of Queensland]]. Oral history and documents relating to Opuntia in [[Queensland, Australia]]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q158991}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Opuntia| ]] [[Category:Cacti of the United States]] [[Category:Cacti of Mexico]] [[Category:Cacti of South America]] [[Category:Flora of Southern America]] [[Category:Flora of Central America]] [[Category:North American desert flora]] [[Category:Mesoamerican cuisine]] [[Category:Ayahuasca]] [[Category:Desert fruits]] [[Category:Medicinal plants]] [[Category:Mexican cuisine]] [[Category:Mexican alcoholic beverages]] [[Category:Opuntioideae genera]] [[Category:Plants used in Native American cuisine]] [[Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller]] [[Category:National symbols of Palestine]] [[Category:Plant dyes]] [[Category:Native American cuisine]]