Description

Opuntia Tuna | Edible Prickly Pear Cactus Seeds

Grow your own delicious cactus fruit with Opuntia tuna, a classic prickly pear species prized for its vibrant edible “tuna” fruits and hardy growth. This attractive cactus forms flat, paddle-shaped pads that produce beautiful seasonal flowers followed by colorful, juicy fruits. The ripe fruits are sweet and refreshing, often described as having a mild berry or melon-like flavor, and can be enjoyed fresh or used in a wide variety of culinary creations.

It is endemic to Hispaniola (in the Dominican Republic), Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands. The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and young stems, which are eaten locally. Fruit – raw
Sweet and juicy, it is delicious to eat out of hand and can also be used to make ices, jams, jellies, cakes, sauces etc.
The half-ripe fruit, when dried, has the flavour of green dried apples. The red, ovoid fruit is about 3cm long. The tender young stems are boiled and then used as a substitute for string beans in soups, stews, casseroles etc