OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaPrickly pear cacti have flat, green pads that look like big beaver tails or pancakes stacked on top of each other! They are one of the most common cacti in the world. These cacti are found all over North and South America.
In the springtime, beautiful bright flowers in yellow, orange, pink, or red bloom on the edges of the pads. Later, these flowers turn into yummy red or purple fruits called “tunas” that taste sweet. The pads, called “nopales,” can be cooked and eaten like a vegetable.
- People in Mexico have been eating prickly pear pads and fruits for thousands of years!
- The prickly pear cactus is so important to Mexico that it is right in the middle of the Mexican flag.
- Even animals like desert tortoises and javelinas love to munch on the juicy pads for a cool drink of water.
