The Prickly Pear: All About It

A member of the genus 'Opuntia' (of the Cactaceae group) and also known as the paddle cactus, the prickly pear is a plant of great importance to Mexico. Many uses for the cactus and many delicious recipes have been developed for it's use in dishes over Mexico's history. Of such importance is the cactus, that it is even featured in the Mexican coat of arms

Prickly pears grow with flat round cladodes (flattened shoots) and have several types of spines. The plant produces a fruit that is very commonly eaten in Mexico, where it is often known as 'tuna'. It's also marketed as Indian or Cactus figs and the spikes must be removed very carefully before consumption, lest tongues be accidentally poked. It also grows in Cyprus, on the island of Malta, and in Bulgaria, France, and Italy.

In Mexico, the small stem segments are used in multiple dishes, including being mixed with eggs and when used as a taco filling; they are called nopales. The fruits are used to make candy and jellies, and are often found as a flavoring option for drinks like agua fresca. Sometimes consumed as a lemonade, it is also drunk as a popular cocktail that mixes vodka with the prickly pear juice. Native populations have distilled the liquid into a spirit called 'colonche', which is potently alcoholic on its own.

Having medicinal properties the prickly pear is used in that regard. Containing alkaloids that are important chemicals for some types of drugs, it is used in analgesic morphine and codeine-based cough syrups. Some species have been researched for their potential to treat type II diabetes, and others are used as hangover cures, since they can help reduce nausea, dry mouth, and inflammations.

This helpful cactus has been used for thousands of years as a convenient farming ground for the Dactylopius coccus, an insect that is parasitic for the plant and which produces bright red carminic acid. A bright red dye is created from Cochineal, an important aspect of food coloring and cosmetics, and even before the Spanish conquest it was used by the Aztecs and the Maya peoples. By adding the liquid element from the stems and pads of the plant to plaster, it has been found to increase the working properties of the mixed slurry by controlling the water content..

The coat of arms of Mexico famously features a golden eagle. However, you might not recall what the eagle is perched on: an Opuntia plant. The symbol comes from an Aztec legend which addresses the founding of Tenochtitlan, one of its largest cities. According to the myth, the then-nomadic tribe was wandering through the desert of mesoamerica when their god, Huitzilopochtil, commanded them to build their capital on the spot where they saw an eagle devouring a snack, while sitting on a cactus that grew on a rock which was submerged in a lake. They settled in the region after finding this symbol at the banks of Texcoco. Truly, this plant is a vital part of the country's national history, culinary tradition, and identity.

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