Prickly Pear: An Herb to Watch OUCH For

The prickly pear cactus (u003ciu003eOpuntia lindheimeriu003c/iu003e) is in bloom in our Texas meadows now, and the bees are crawling drunkenly over the bright yellow flowers, as large as hollyhock blossoms. We've cleared most of this prickly native herb from our meadows because the spines are painful when we carelessly blunder into the plant, or (heaven forbid!) our dogs step on it. But I've safeguarded a few, because they’re beautiful and useful and because they remind me that not all plants are easy to get along with.nnu003ca href=u0022/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/prickly-pear-0407.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-full wp-image-104 alignnoneu0022 alt=u0022image prickly pear cactusu0022 src=u0022/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/prickly-pear-0407.jpgu0022 width=u0022480u0022 height=u0022640u0022 /u003eu003c/au003ennThe prickly pear’s translucent yellow flowers ripen into ruby-red fruits, called u003ciu003etunasu003c/iu003e. I've made these into juice, jelly, and syrup. I've harvested the young, tender pads, called u003ciu003enopalitosu003c/iu003e. Do wear leather gloves if you do this: I speak from personal experience when I say that this plant is u003ciu003espinyu003c/iu003e. If you don’t know a prickly pear up close and personal that will offer you a few pads, you can sometimes find them in your supermarket’s produce section.nnu003ca href=u0022/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/prickly2.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-large wp-image-108 alignnoneu0022 alt=u0022image prickly pear cactus fruitsu0022 src=u0022/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/prickly2.jpgu0022 width=u0022660u0022 height=u0022399u0022 /u003eu003c/au003ennResearch suggests that the nutrient-rich fiber in the fruits and pads helps to reduce cholesterol. Native peoples singed the spines from the pads, then split and warmed them for use as a poultice to relieve chest congestion. They placed warmed pads over the ears for earache, or over rheumatic or arthritic joints. The gelatinous sap (which is a lot like aloe vera gel) was a soothing skin lotion for rashes and sunburn, and they mashed the flesh of the pad and used it as a poultice to heal wounds and burns. Taken internally, the plant treated many gastrointestinal disorders.nnAnd like most native herbs, prickly pear served many purposes. In rural Mexico, it was used (with water, lime, and salt) to make a durable, waterproof paint for walls, and as a formidable fence—just try getting through that dense, thorny wall! Its fibers were used to make paper and its thorns as needles and pins, while the insect that feeds on its pads and fruit (the cochineal) made red dye. Like many other natives, this durable, adaptable plant has its darker side: free to roam, it can be an invasive pest.nnBut I’m not thinking about that today, as I revel in those beautiful blooms. I’m thinking about the many native herbs which, like prickly pear, were important to earlier people—the buffalo gourd that grows in the south pasture, the cattails in the marsh, the redbud trees, the willows. They teach me about the place where I live, about the richness and bounty of the land, and remind me that I live in a beautiful wilderness garden.nnwebsite: u003ca href=u0022http://www.susanalbert.com/u0022u003ewww.susanalbert.comnu003cspan style=u0022color:#333333;u0022u003eblog: u003c/spanu003eu003c/au003eu003ca href=u0022http://www.susanalbert.typepad.com/lifescapesu0022u003ewww.susanalbert.typepad.com/lifescapesu003c/au003enneditor's note:nNative Habitat: Nevada, Utah, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, as well the Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Grows in well-drained sand, loam, clay, and caliche in zones 5 - 10. (www.wildflower.org)