About Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf.
Opuntia humifusa (Raf.) Raf., commonly called eastern prickly pear, is a low-growing perennial cactus. Like other species in the Opuntia genus, its green stems are flattened and made up of segments. Barbed bristles cover the surfaces of these segments, and longer spines may sometimes be present. Its flowers range in color from yellow to gold, grow along the edges of mature segments, and have a waxy texture; they sometimes have red centers, and measure 4–6 cm (1+5⁄8–2+3⁄8 in) across. This cactus blooms in late spring. Its juicy fruits are red or purple when fully grown, and measure 3–5 cm (1+1⁄8–2 in). Unripe fruits are green, and change to red as they mature; they often stay attached to the cactus until the following spring. Each fruit contains 6 to 33 small, flat, light-colored seeds. This species is naturally distributed along the East Coast of the United States, including on barrier islands from the Florida Keys to coastal Massachusetts. It is also found in scattered locations eastward from New Mexico and Montana, and is one of two cactus species native to the eastern United States, alongside the related O. cespitosa. Because it grows in hot, sunny locations with thin, non-water-retentive soil, it occurs in shale barrens in the Appalachian Mountains. These barrens are accumulations of thin, flat, eroded sedimentary rock on steep slopes with southern exposures, forming an essentially desert microclimate. In Canada, the species grows naturally in small pockets of Southern Ontario along the banks of Lake Erie. Opuntia humifusa is highly intolerant of shade, and thrives in sunny, hot, dry environments with well-draining, sandy soil. It grows in open areas within sandy, rocky, and coastal scrub habitats. Unlike many cacti, it can survive cool winters, though harsh winter storms are known to cause habitat loss for the species. Its fruits are edible, but they have small spiny bristles. The fruit pulp can be scooped out and the seeds strained off to make syrup or jelly. The seeds can be briefly roasted and ground into meal. Young cactus segments can be roasted to remove their spines, then peeled and sliced to eat like string beans; they can also be deep fried. Peeled leafy segments can be chewed for emergency hydration. Opuntia humifusa has been used for traditional medicine in Indian, American, Mexican, and Korean cultures. Its stem produces an extract that contains high concentrations of polyphenols and flavonoids. The species has also been found to be associated with endophytic fungi.
