Prickly Pear Cactus

Entries

1. Entry 1

   Opuntia engelmannii ranges from California to Louisiana and through northern Mexico, growing at 1,000 to 4,500 feet, and is among the most common prickly pears in the Southwest.

2. Entry 2

   The sweet red fruits, called "tunas," were eaten fresh, dried into meal for porridge, fermented into beverages, or used as a red dye by Native peoples.

3. Entry 3

   The Tohono O'odham of the Sonoran Desert classified prickly pear fruits by color, ripening time, and storage longevity; pads roasted free of spines are eaten as nopales.

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