fruits & vegetables :: NATURALIZED, WILD :: Cactaceae » Opuntia elatior

[Dinesh Valke]

Cactaceae (cactus family) » Opuntia elatior
Synonyms: Cactus elatior, C. strictus, C. tuna var. elatior, Opuntia bergeriana, O. dillenii, O. nigricans, O. stricta


op-UN-shee-uh -- named after Opus (Greece), area where cactus-like plants were grown
ee-LAY-tee-or -- taller


commonly known as: prickly pear • Hindi: चप्पल सेंद chappal-sendh, नाग फनी nag phani • Kannada: ಡಬ್ಬಗಳ್ಳಿ dabbagalli, ಪಾಪಸು ಕಳ್ಳಿ paapasu kalli • Marathi: फड्या निवडुंग phadya nivadung • Sanskrit: विदार विश्वसारक vidara-vishvasaraka • Tamil: சப்பாத்துக்கள்ளி cappattukkalli, பட்டணத்துக்கள்ளி pattanattukkalli • Telugu: జెముడు nagajemudu, నాగతాళి nagatali


Native to: Caribbean, tropical South America


Edible use:

... the fruit, prickly pear (as FRUIT) eaten fresh
... the pad segments, nopales (as VEGETABLE)
... most culinary references to the "prickly pear" are referring to Opuntia ficus-indica
Quoted from Wikipedia

 

... the edible use of this plant may be lesser known in India

some caution:

The fruit of prickly pears, commonly called cactus fruit, cactus fig, Indian fig or tuna in Spanish, is edible, although it has to be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption. If the outer layer is not properly removed, glochids can be ingested, causing discomfort of the throat, lips, and tongue, as the small spines are easily lodged in the skin.
Quoted from Wikipedia