Prickly Pear Opuntia spp. Hosh niteel7

Characteristics

The prickly pear cacti are one of the most easily recognized cacti that grow in the Four Corners region. A series of flat, spined, and jointed pads make up each stem. The stems are often clustered into huge clumps. The prickly pear flowers, which grow on the edges of the joints, are large and usually yellow colored. Its' fruits, which are pear-shaped, are called tunas. They are red to purple in color.

Ethnobotany

The fruits of the prickly pear were eaten by many ancient people, including the Ancestral Puebloans of the Four Corners region. All of the historic Indian tribes that lived in this area are also known to have eaten this plant. It was prepared in many ways. The fruits were eaten fresh, dried, boiled, or made into a juice, jelly, or syrup. The pads were peeled, boiled or roasted, or their pulp was formed into cakes and dried for later use. The seeds were ground into flour. The Keres people used the prickly pear tunas for paint and the thorns for needles. The Navajo used the plant to treat boils and also to make various ceremonial items.

Notes

The University of Michigan-Dearborn Native American Ethnobotany Database
http://www.umd.umich.edu/cgi-bin/herb

Flowers of the Southwest Deserts by Natt N. Dodge and Jeanne R. Janish

Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners by William W. Dunmire & Gail D. Tierney

World Book Encyclopedia

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