On a walk I spotted a huge stand of Opuntia cactus, which produce prickly pear fruit as well as edible pads known as nopales. I only wanted the fruit on this survival foraging trip, which are not only edible, but nutritious AND delicious.
IN THIS VIDEO
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Other links may be affiliate links in which we receive a commission.
→ Full Article: https://www.epicgardening.com/opuntia-microdasys/
→ Vermont Glove “The Farmer” Gloves: https://vermontglove.com/glove-shop/the-farmer
SUPPORT EPIC GARDENING
→ Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com
→ Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books
→ Support Directly: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening
LEARN MORE
Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel:
→ 2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead
→ In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog
→ Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/
→ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening
→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening
→ Discord Server: https://discord.gg/cuXxvKRwKN
→ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/
→ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening
→ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening
DISCLAIMER
Epic Gardening occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More info on our process: https://www.epicgardening.com/disclaimer/
Will you grow these from the seeds in the fruits you collected?
thank you for the tip!! now i can go and get some too!!!
Damn, I have never tried them super fresh. They looks so tasty and juicy.
Nice
How can we grow it
Its much easier to get them with kitchen tongs. (wearing gloves of course)
any chance of picking the wrong type of pear? Are there toxic ones as well?
Ugh Texas is so ugly compared to California. All we have is cactus and rocks in the hill country. I thought it was beautiful here when I first left Houston. 🙁
If you make a vertical cut (deep enough for all of the skin) you can peel it off
Wow, California is so lush!! I know is this obvious but it’s still sort of a stark contrast to Virginia foliage.
if anything is growing in my area, it's poison ivy.————- hi Kevin. I'm so far behind in viewing. I'll get to it.
I'm from Israel and we have a lot of those, some purple inside, some yellow, some green.
Those plants were imported over a hundred years ago from South America to use as barriers dividing farming fields, keeping away unwanted "guests".
Before even those days, it was used mostly for its strong purple color, for coloring cloths
although it's free to pick anywhere and very common, it's sold at extremely high price at the supermarket.
I personally pick without gloves, but with a "smart" long stick I bought which has 2 clips at the end and a handle at the beginning for pressong those clips and then i can pick fruits anywhere without getting near.
I also wash them in water and scrub lightly to remove thorns. works very well and fast.
the way we open them there isn't like you've showed, I was actually shocked to see the way you did it.
We cut off both ends and then make thin cuts across the ends, all around, about 4-5 of them, and peel it.
My aunt gave me some and I had the spines in my mouth for an Hour
New drinking game
1 shot for every time he says "come through"
I was born in Oceaside and traveled to San Diego often as a child. Now I live all the way in South Georgia and I miss that Southern California weather. Nothing like it. Never had an opportunity to taste Prickly Pear Fruit
Love love prickly pears!!!
these make the most amazing wine!! I eat the tuna's as well call them here in TExas, on my salad instead of tomato's! They stain like the dickens but so worth it!!
Your area is so beautiful! And so many nasturtiums.
I have some little opuntia as houseplants and I always end up handling them without gloves and then just picking the thorns out after. Mostly because my hands are weirdly square and I can never find gloves that fit.
Did you ever take a pad with you to grow on your property?
You should make a video of growing your own prickly pear fruit
Hello!!! I just saw your vlog/article on the coral cactus. Are you making a video on it soon? I'd like to know if I should buy one for me. Is it bound to die given than it's grafted? Or does it live and thrive like a normal cactus? Many thanks handsome!
The ones in my yard in AZ are smaller and they are infested with some white stuff, unfortunately. I cut one open and it was brown inside. It was really a bummer.
In Florida it grows wild off the florida trail we eat them as we go