cactus question

[anniesmom]

hi

here in spain we have a lot of big cactus plants growing in the country, they have a orange coloured fruit on them.
the pads can be quiet large.
is the fruit as well as the pads good for them?

[Alan1]

I doubt it though I believe they are edible for humans? Fruits might be edible for the torts but not necessarily good for them

[Kirkie]

My understanding is that the fruit of the Opuntia cactus is the "prickly pear". I'm not sure its a true "fruit" and I believe it is low in natural sugars and high in fibre so would be acceptable tortoise food.

[Star]

Prickly Pear
100 grams
(about 1 medium fruit)
Calories 40
Fat (grams) 0.5
Cholesterol (milligrams) 0
Carbohydrate (grams) 9.6
Dietary fiber (grams) 3.6
Protein (grams) 0.7
Minerals
Calcium (milligrams) 56
Iron (milligrams) 0.3
Magnesium (milligrams) 85
Phosphorus (milligrams) 24
Potassium (milligrams) 220
Sodium (milligrams) 5
Copper (milligrams) 0.08
Selenium (micrograms) 0.6
Zinc (milligrams) 0.12
Vitamins
Vitamin C (milligrams) 14
Thiamin (milligrams) 0.01
Riboflavin (milligrams) 0.06
Niacin (milligrams) 0.5
Vitamin B6 (milligrams) 0.06
Folate (micrograms) 6
Vitamin B12 (micrograms) 0
Vitamin A (I.U.) 51
Vitamin E (A.T.E.) 0.01



Additional info

http://www.jpacd.org/V6/Piga_PF2fnl.pdf

[Alan1]

Of course it may not be a prickly pear cactus she is talking about but..

The Prickly Pear Cactus is a very common type of cactus and it grows extremely well in the hot dry areas of Valencia, Spain. The flowers of the Prickly Pear Cactus are usually yellow although they can flower in red and bi-colored blossoms.

In the Prickly Pear cactus species there are a variety of different types that fall into the same category. Each one has flattened, oval or round stems that connect in sequence and look like large leaves as the plant grows but they all have a wide variation in their size and habit. Some Prickly Pear Cactuses grow only to be a few inches tall while others tend to be giants.

The Prickly Pear Cactus produces a fruit that is edible and is sold in the stores under the name "tuna" . The branches of the Prickly Pear Cactus can be cooked and can be eaten as a vegetable and are sold under the name "Nopalito". The juice and pulp of the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus makes some delicious Prickly Pear Nectar juice. This cactus is extremely useful for many different uses not just as a radiant flower blossoming in the garden.

In the city of Valencia, Spain you will find many of the Prickly Pear Cactus growing in the well-drained soil in dry, rocky flats or slopes. Hiking through the mountain passes in Spain you will also come across a Prickly Pear Cactus that grows in the mountain foothills.


BTW I watched that survival guy last week in the Texas desert and he was eating cactus fruits, he peeled them with a knife and said the were delicious

[Kirkie]

Interesting that the Calcium to Phosphorus ration of the prickly pear fruit is only about 2.5:1 (from Stars info above) where I was always under the impression that the pads of the Opuntia have a CA:P ratio of 60:1 plus.

[Kirkie]

This suggests about a 8:1 Ca:P ratio average for the pads under the table

"Average chemical composition of Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes produced in Tunisia"

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y2808E/y2808e0d.htm

[Alan1]

I think they may be very watery the 'fruits' going by that programme that was on. the guy was looking for water and made do with those things

[anniesmom]

wow

what a lot of information
thankyou all very much, thats very helpful, i am in the valencian region and they do have a tendancy to vary in size and color.

they are also in plentifull supply.



nathalie

[Alan1]

Valencia... I bet you didn't need your coat on today like we did here