Where is the prickly pear cactus distributed, can it be eaten, and how is it eaten?
The prickly pear cactus is a variety of cactus, with a stem shaped like a pear and covered in thick spines. Grown in a flowerpot, its growth is limited, and it can only reach the height of a person. So, where is it distributed? Can it be eaten? How is it eaten?
1. Where is the prickly pear cactus distributed?
The prickly pear cactus grows in Australia, is edible, and is a local delicacy.
2. Can the prickly pear cactus be eaten? How is it eaten?
The prickly pear cactus can be eaten. The tender stems that have just grown out are emerald green and juicy, and can dye your fingers light green. Once the spines are removed, they are fragrant and edible. Blanch strips of cut prickly pear cactus stems in boiling water, add tomatoes, onions, cilantro, refined salt and so on to make a cold salad, and this is the most common dish on Mexican dining tables.
The prickly pear cactus produces pale yellow flowers, and after the flowers fade it bears purplish-red fruit, known as the “prickly pear”, a fruit favored by Mexicans. There are two kinds, sour and sweet; the sweet ones can be eaten fresh, while the sour ones are made into jam with sugar added, and both are exceptionally good in flavor. Cactus plants and their fruits are often brought to the table. The dragon fruit that Taiwanese people love to eat is the fruit of the cactus plant “night-blooming cereus”, and its taste and appearance are similar to the prickly pear, only it is larger in size.
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The prickly pear cactus can help ease the food crisis
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said on November 30 that, in response to a potential global food crisis, the “prickly pear cactus”, a basic ingredient in Mexico, is expected to play a role.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said in a statement: “Most cacti are not edible, but this cactus genus plant has great potential, especially if it is regarded as a crop rather than a weed.”
This specialized UN agency and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas believe that the prickly pear cactus can “save lives”. When the African island nation of Madagascar suffered a severe drought in 2015, “the key food, fodder and water sources for local people and animals came from this cactus”.
Mexico cultivates the prickly pear cactus on a large scale, using it as an ingredient, a beverage, and even in medicine or to make shampoo, with an annual per capita consumption of 6.4 kilograms. Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa, India and other countries also grow this cactus. Brazil's planted area reaches more than 500,000 hectares, mainly used as feed.
The Food and Agriculture Organization said that each hectare of planted prickly pear cactus can store 180 tons of water, enough to support 5 adult cattle. In addition, this crop can improve soil quality, benefit barley cultivation, and at the same time limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Hans Dreyer, director of the Crop Production and Protection Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization, said that in the face of climate change and increasing drought risk, the “humble cactus” should be upgraded to a “key crop”.
The prickly pear cactus is not a “perfect crop”. After being damaged by frost, it cannot recover, and it grows slowly under excessively high temperatures. However, the Food and Agriculture Organization believes that the advantages of growing the prickly pear cactus outweigh the disadvantages.
Agence France-Presse reported that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization organized experts to study the possibility of bringing the prickly pear cactus “to the table”, and cooperated with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas to publish a book introducing how to use the edible value of this crop.