Sweet prickly pear, Indian fig

Where does Sweet prickly pear grow?

Found in: Africa, Algeria, Andes, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chile, China, Congo DR, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Sicily, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, United States, Western Sahara, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are about 250 Opuntia species. It can be invasive. Fruit are high in folates 24μg/100.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is sold in local markets.

Growing Sweet prickly pear, Indian fig

Cultivation: Plants are grown from stem pads. They can grow easily from sections which fall onto the ground. Plants can be grown from seeds, by division of the roots or by planting segments.

Edible Uses: The ripe fruit are eaten. Dried fruit are used in sweetmeats. They are also used for jams, jellies and wines. The young stems are used as a vegetable or in pickles. The fermented pulp is mixed with flour and nuts to make and Italian dish. The pulp of the fruit without seeds is prepared as a sauce for pasta. They are also stewed or dried for later use. The green fruit and tender shoots are cooked in curries. They can be eaten in soups and stews to add a mucilaginous character. The segments and fruit can be flamed to remove the spines and hairs.

Production: It takes 5-6 years to fruit when grown from seeds. Fruit matures in 90 days. Fruit can be collected all year round.

Nutrition Info

Sweet prickly pear, Indian fig Photos

References

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