Is purple prickly pear edible?

Table of Contents:

1. Is purple prickly pear edible?
2. Why is my prickly pear cactus purple?
3. How do you take care of a purple prickly pear cactus?
4. Are all prickly pear cactus purple?
5. How big do purple prickly pears get?
6. Do you eat the seeds in a prickly pear?

Is purple prickly pear edible?

The color contrast of their blue-grey pads and the shades of purple are so striking in the landscape. ... This cactus makes a beautiful accent plant for the landscape. Both the pads and fruit are edible, (but you might want to remove the spines first ;-).

Why is my prickly pear cactus purple?

A purple color in cacti is caused by cool and dry conditions. Turning purple is the plant's way of responding to environmental stress. Succulents, agave, and aloe varieties also turn reddish, burgundy, or purple when exposed to stress.

How do you take care of a purple prickly pear cactus?

Prickly pears are extremely drought tolerant. Don't water newly propagated pads for the first month. After that, water every two to four weeks for the first year — twice a month in summer and once a month other times of the year. In most areas, rainfall will be enough to sustain established plants.

Are all prickly pear cactus purple?

Below you will find some popular cacti that are purple: Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia macrocentra): Purple cactus varieties include this unique, clumping cactus, only one of few varieties that produce purple pigment in the pads. The striking color becomes even deeper during periods of dry weather.

How big do purple prickly pears get?

4-5 ft

Do you eat the seeds in a prickly pear?

Discard the skin. You'll be left with the prickly pear itself. The flesh is studded with tons of little edible seeds, if you like them, feel free to just chop the prickly pear up and eat, seeds and all.