Comments on: Edible Desert Plants – Barrel Cactus Fruit

By: Charlotte Geier

Charlotte Geier — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:36:42 +0000

I have often made jelly or preserves from prickly pear cactus fruits (tunas) and everyone loves it, though it takes a good deal of work. I’m delighted to know that the yellow barrel cactus fruits are also edible. I’ve mostly seen these used as landscape plants near commercial enterprises here in El Paso, Tx. If prickly pear cactus jelly is “gourmet”, surely barrel cactus jelly would be as rare as truffles.

By: Mahendran

Mahendran — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:55:05 +0000

I would like to cultivate the cactus, where to condact for those details

thanks

By: gayboy

gayboy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:12:34 +0000

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:39:39 +0000

I have this same pink cactus fruit with no spines- but can’t seem to figure out what kind of cactus it is.
It tastes like a mildly sweet mix between a banana and a guava. The flowers that bloom are white and gorgeous but only do so in early foggy mornings,
Can anyone help with identifying this plant?
Thank you!

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:07:16 +0000

My neighbor gave me some deep pink cactus fruits with very smooth skins – no evidence that spines existed. I haven’t been able to find out what they are. The flesh inside is white with lots of tiny black seeds and is very mucilaginous. It is rather bland tasting. I’m thinking of making it into a flan. Any idea what it is? Thanks.

By: Elizabeth "Bjay" Woolley

Elizabeth "Bjay" Woolley — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 07:09:47 +0000

leftfield, these people might have more information:
http://www.desertharvesters.org/

Or Native Seeds:
http://www.nativeseeds.org/

I think the Desert Museum has a saguaro harvesting event each year if my memory serves right.

I also have a Yahoo group called SD Traditional foods. We haven’t been very active, but in the past when people have wanted to harvest wild foods, members have offered their land. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SDTraditionalFoods/

Here is a cool video on saguaro harvesting. I would LOVE to get in on one of these. Not sure how to find them or if anyone can join. TOCA in Sells might do something too. Anyone have more info?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjsvGg5kAgM

By: Elizabeth "Bjay" Woolley

Elizabeth "Bjay" Woolley — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:48:51 +0000

Wow, thanks! I didn’t know you could eat those. How do you rate them compared to saguaro and prickly pear fruit?

By: Jonathan DuHamel

Jonathan DuHamel — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:55:13 +0000

Only on your private land as far as I know.

By: leftfield

leftfield — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:14:25 +0000

Yes; fascinating. Our family has taken to harvesting Prickly Pear fruit and Mesquite pods, but we were unaware of the use of Barrel Cactus fruit. Are you aware of anyplace that non-Native Americans can harvest Saguaro fruit?

By: ldonyo

ldonyo — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:41:36 +0000

That is very cool! Thanks, Jonathan!