Prickly Pear Cactus

— I have featured two other types of cacti here previously: Pitaya cactus and Rainbow cactus (both shots I made in Big Bend NP). One very common type of cactus we see around all over Texas is the Prickly Pear cactus (featured here). Generally around April and May, these cacti can be seen just about anywhere in the state. One interesting fact about these cacti is that they are only native to the Americas. If you see them in other continents, it is because of human interference in transplanting those cacti to other locations. Besides the beauty of these flowers, these cacti are also edible (appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, vegetable dishes, breads, desserts, beverages, candy, jelly, and drinks). You might have heard of or tasted nopales or nopalitos in Mexican restaurants. Those are made from the cactus pads (the green “leaves” where the flowers are attached to). The photos featured here were made during a camping trip I did at Colorado Bend SP.