Prickly pear
Prickly pear: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Prickly pear, Opuntia ficus-indica, is a cactus native to Mexico and widely established in warm, dry regions. It belongs to the cactus family. Despite names such as Indian fig or Barbary fig, it is not related to the common fig of the genus Ficus. Its distinctive appearance comes from large, flattened, jointed stems that form a bush and sometimes a tree-like outline.These pads are cladodes: green stem sections that carry out photosynthesis and store water. They are thick, oval to elongated, and green or grey green. Older pads become firmer and contribute to the plant's structure. A mature specimen can reach several metres in a favourable climate. The plant presents a succession of flattened shapes rather than conventional foliage, which accounts for its strong visual presence in dry landscapes.Small cushions across the surface bear spines and glochids. Glochids are tiny hooked bristles that detach readily and irritate skin. Some selections…
