Back Dune/ Prickly Pear Cactus

COMMON NAME: Prickly Pear Cactus
OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Cactus Pear, Indian Fig, Old Man’s Hand
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Opuntia humifusa
FAMILY: Cactaceae COMMUNITY: Secondary Dune
STATUS: Native
LIFESPAN: Perennial
HEIGHT: Usually prostrate
FLOWERING TIME: June-July
FRUITING TIME: Late summer
DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Ma.-west to Mn., south to Florida and Texas

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Jointed, pad-like, segmented, succulent stems ~ large, showy yellow flowers ~ club-shaped, reddish-purple fruit ripens in late summer

GENERAL INFORMATION: The succulent stems allow the plant to retain water. The only native cactus found east of the Mississippi, the Prickly Pear Cactus is found in the desert-like conditions of the secondary sand dunes.
The pads and fruits are edible, though great care must be taken with the spines. Even though they are so small as to often be invisible, they are a painful skin irritant. The pads are a mucilaginous vegetable, similar in texture to okra and are high in potassium and beta carotene. “Cactus candy” can be made from thick strips of the pads. Boiled joints of the western species are sold by street vendors in Mexico. The seeds can be ground into a nutty flavored flour that is high in protein and oils. The bitter sticky juice of the prickly pear can be used as emergency drinking water. Prickly Pear Cactus is also grown as fodder for livestock. The spines are removed by a flamethrower when used to feed livestock.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails. This information is presented for educational purposes only.ark. New Jersey, 08752.