Prickly Pear Cactus

This flowering prickly pear cactus resides at the Rawlings Conversatory in Baltimore, Maryland. This is the first time I've ever seen a prickly pear cactus in bloom. The yellow flowers are lovely. The prickly pear cactus was designated the official plant symbol of Texas in 1995. Found in the deserts of the American southwest, the fruits of most prickly pear cacti are edible, and have been a source of food to native Americans for thousands of years. Cacti in general (and the fruits in particular) are still staple foods for some residents of Mexico and Latin America and the prickly pear cactus is raised commercially. The fruit is sold under the name "Tuna"; the branches or pads are eaten as a vegetable, called "nopalito" or "nopales."