Prickly Pear

Opuntia spp.

Illustration: Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) pads and red tunas

Identification: Flat jointed pads covered in spines and nearly invisible glochids (hair-fine barbed bristles); showy yellow/red flowers; red-purple pear-shaped fruits ('tunas').

Dangerous look-alikes: All Opuntia are edible — the hazard is mechanical, not toxic: glochids. Handle with tongs and thick gloves; singe or scrub them off.

Edible parts: Pads (nopales), fruits (tunas).

Season and habitat: Pads year-round; tunas late summer–fall. Desert flats, rocky slopes.

Preparation: Scrape/singe spines off pads, dice, and grill or sauté (taste like green beans with lemon). Slice tunas, scoop pulp, strain seeds — juice, candy, syrup. Watch the glochids at every step.