If you think cacti are all spiny and have no substance, then—these 5 cactus with fruits are prickly on the outside, and juicy on the inside
When we pick up the word cactus , our encephalon immediately paint a photo of a spiky plant toughing it out under the scorching Dominicus . But not all cacti fit that teetotal and prickly stereotype , some actually produce naughty , flavorful fruits ! Let ’s explore those that bear edible ones and trust us , these plant are full of surprises !
1. Prickly Pear
botanic name : Opuntia genus Ficus – indica
This is one of the most common yield - mien cacti , and it ’s quite the multitasker . Opuntia cactus grows promising yellow bloom that later turn into oval fruits called cactus Pyrus communis or tuna , which can amount in white , jaundiced , or reddish - purple shades . fruit are edible and used in everything from juices and jams to marmalade .
They ’re so rich in dietary fibre and betalains , those same antioxidants find in beet . What ’s cool is that the plant itself can stay low to the ground or grow as tall as a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree count on the variety .
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2. Dragon Fruit
Botanical name : Hylocereus spp .
You ’ve in all probability seen this one in fancy smoothies or fruit bowls . Draco fruit grows on a mounting cactus that blooms with hugewhite flowersat night that are cross-pollinate by bats and moths , no less ! The yield has vivacious red or pink skin with livid or pink chassis speckled with diminutive black seeds .
Its mildly mellisonant taste is a routine like a mix between New Zealander and watermelon vine . Not only is it tasty and full of food , but the works itself also seem stunning in garden and is loved by pollinator and birds likewise .
3. Peruvian Apple Cactus
Botanical name : Cereus repandus
Now , this tall cactus from South America is quite the donor . It grows in dry tropical areas and acquire sweet fruits know as Peruvian apples , commonly two to three age after planting . The fruits are harvested in summertime and are adulterate withVitamin snow and beta - carotin .
Besides feeding people , this cactus is also used as a living fence , animal feed , and even in traditional medicine . It ’s one of those plant that seems to have a root for everything !
4. Organ Pipe Cactus
Botanical name : Stenocereus thurberi
As the name soupcon , this cactus looks like a cluster of dark-green pipe shooting out of the primer . It ’s native to the Sonoran Desert and blooms with white flower at nighttime during belated spring to early summer . Soon after , it produce bright red or royal fruit occupy with opprobrious seeds .
So the flavor is like a red-hot premix of watermelon , berries , and kiwi . citizenry enjoy these fruits fresh or use them in syrups , drunkenness , electronic jamming , or even work them into wine . And here ’s a fun fact desert tribes have been harvest these fruits for 100 !
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5. Saguaro Cactus
Botanical name : Carnegiea gigantea
This is the giant of the desert — literally . The Saguaro can turn up to 60 feet grandiloquent and hold out for over 150 years . In late spring , it flower with bombastic white flowers , and by summer , it grow sweet cherry fruit filled with tiny bootleg seeds .
The fruits are edible and pack with intelligent fats and protein . autochthonic communities traditionally practice them to make syrup , jam , non - alcoholic drinkable , and even flour from the germ . This cactus does n’t just stand tall , it just stands proud as a full of life part of desert life .
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So next time you ’re in the desert or even just at a farmer ’s market place , do n’t pass up on cactus fruits . They ’re fresh , refreshing , and totally unexpected .
