It may seem like a lot for Nopal but this time of year I gladly pay $1 each at the store for them. They help a lot for joint pain and the flavor is really good on these similar to a good honeydew Melon. These are good sized fruits! Hope you are looking for these now and have an opportunity to pick a few up!
Best couple of dollars I ever spent! These are not the blan tasting nopal rather sweet , dripping, and delicious! When I cut the second peace off I had to put my hand under the fruit just to get a picture! Small avocados are coming in this week as well so I have a feeling I’m really going to enjoy my weekend! If your anything like me winter leaves me needing recharged with fresh good super fruits like these! If you’ve never had cactus fruit definitely try these I eat them any chance I get!
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The fruit is called Tuna and the green leaf like segment is the nopal. $1 is kinda expensive for what I am used to in DC. The leaf is also good for blood sugar control. After the thorns are removed. I slice and steam them. Then I use them in place or with Green peppers. you can regrow a plant from a leaf just lay it flat on the ground and half cover it with dirt. You can grow the seeds by mixing them in with rocks and dirt and keeping them really hot 75-80 degrees and a little moister then not dry. The type grown for the leaf might not produce favorful fruit so you might want to try both ways. There are some Nopals hardy down to Zone 3a and I see them grown as an ornamental regular in Zone 7a DC.
If your lactose intolerant you can use Nopal cactus juice to give a smooth texture to Chocolate in place of milk.
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Lord kiwi,
This was my patch of cactus in 2015 Prickly Pear Cactus most of which I’ve eaten now. They are small fruits with hard seeds but the petals are great! DC is a larger city so things are likely much cheaper there.
I have never tried the petals
What kicks you back in shape in spring is enzyme rich food. I did a kraut with pineapple and lemon, but most important I am getting plenty dandelions and chicory from the garden, plus I juiced some clover and wild thistle (with a beet and a lemon). I don’t need more than that.
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clarkins, how does it help with joint pain - temporary relief after you eat it, or you need to eat it every day to help joints eventually? This spring is just crazy for me - looks like there is no joint in my body, that doesn’t hurt, including jaw joints (. If it helps at least temporary, I would be happy to switch my stomach-hurting alive to the fruit 
.
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Galinas,
Yes it gives you joint relief for the day or when you eat it.
Lord kiwi,
When I say petal I’m referring to what you call the pads.
Glib,
That sounds like a great way to shake off winter.
Thanks!
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I love this site. Those look good. I also missed the other thread originally but when I just read it I was impressed at your Cacti! I had no idea you could grow prickly pear in KS!!! Wow. Now I’ll have to try it!
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This guy’s got a large selection of fruiting cactus. I ordered around ten from him last year and am still waiting to see which survived the winter here. The ones that did will go in ground.
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