3. The Prickly Pear - The cactus of the Mediterranean
Introduction
Prickly pear, scientific name “Opuntia ficus-indica” (raise your hand if you have never seen one), is absolutely one of the most iconic plants present in the entire Mediterranean area. Thanks to its unmistakable appearance, this cactus characterizes all those warm and holiday places that we all love. We could speak of a true symbol that belongs to many of the regions of southern Italy, and that embellishes its landscapes with its imposing bearing and its colorful fruits.
Despite its name, the prickly pear is a cactus plant that is not native to India, but rather to Central America, and more specifically Mexico. This unique and iconic cactus is even depicted on the flag of the Central American state.
Description
THE'Opuntia ficus-indica is a succulent plant and arborescent belonging to the family of cactaceae. It has no stem, and can reach 4-5 meters in height in optimal conditions. During spring and summer it produces flowers that form directly on the numerous paddles (or cladodes), and they are responsible for ensuring the process of chlorophyll photosynthesis. The cladodes are covered with a sort of waxy cuticle that reduces transpiration, also acting as a protection system against predators. The basal cladodes themselves, over time, undergo a process of lignification, becoming a real stem.
The flowers give rise to the fruits, which are fleshy edible berries weighing from 150 to 400 grams. They are covered with thorns and are characterized by multiple colors ranging from green to white, red, yellow or orange during the different stages of ripening. The shape is generally variable, especially due to the variety but also to the time of formation: the first fruits have a rounded shape, while the later ones have an elongated shape. They have a very sweet flavor and once peeled and deprived of the tips they can be kept in the refrigerator and then eaten cold.
Geographical distribution
The prickly pear is a xerophilous and heliophilous plant native to central Mexico that later spread throughout Mesoamerica, Cuba, Hispaniola, and other Caribbean islands. It is thought that the plant was introduced to South America in pre-Columbian times, although there is no certain evidence, and was subsequently "exported" to Europe by Christopher Columbus following the discovery of the Americas.
From here it spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean basin where it became a characteristic element of the landscape. Its diffusion is due not only to man, who transported it on ships as a remedy for scurvy, but also and above all to birds, which by eating the fruits ensured a dispersion of the seeds in the territory. The prickly pear is widespread especially in Sicily and Malta, where it represents a constant element in the landscape as well as in the literary and iconographic representations of the island.
This plant is also cultivated in many countries such as: Mexico, United States, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, while in Italy it is mainly widespread in Sicily, Sardinia, Basilicata, Puglia and also along the entire Tyrrhenian coast up to Liguria.
Other characteristics and cultivation
Opuntia ficus-indica is a plant with high resistance to drought, a characteristic determined above all by its cladodes covered with a waxy cuticle and layers of cells that act as a water reserve. The plant, like other Cactaceae, is equipped with a particular photosynthetic metabolism that allows it to take in carbon dioxide when the temperature is lower and the humidity is higher. In this way, water losses are greatly reduced, and the amount of carbon dioxide assimilated is much higher in relation to the available water.
As we were saying, it is a plant that resists drought very well and that generally requires exposure to temperatures above 0 °C, and for its optimal development above 6 °C. It should generally be placed in light or coarse soil, water stagnation and humidity in general should be avoided, they prefer altitudes between 150 and 750 meters above sea level.
Conclusions
The generic prickly pear, thanks to its widespread diffusion in Sicily, is widely used in the traditional cuisine of the island which has led this plant to be included in the list of traditional Italian agri-food products (PAT) of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (Mipaaf) as a typical Sicilian product.
By visiting our online nursery you can discover all the cacti and succulent plants in our collection, such as the Opuntia Violacea Santa Rita. Click here.
