Audio
Plant #5 - Prairie/Non-Prairie
Transcript
Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia): 1. Prickly pear fruit (also called figs or tunas) are covered with needle-like spines. Native American removed these spines by rubbing the fruit in the sand. Today, spines are commonly removed by scrubbing each fruit with a vegetable brush under running water. 2. Prickly pear fruit emerge from cactus nopales (leaves/pads) in the hottest, driest months of the year. They are small and oval in shape, with the largest fruits reaching 5 inches in length. Color ranges from yellowish-green to a deep-red or purple. Most fruits ripen to a deep-red color in late summer. These reddish fruits are generally regarded as the best for eating. 3. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. Jelly or candy made from the cooked fruit is still sold in stores today. 4. But please remember, do not touch! Trust me, you'll regret it.
Description
Park Ranger: Resource Technician - Plant name is given (answer to first activity). Then, facts are given about this plant. Activity - can you determine if this is a prairie or non-prairie plant?
Credit
NPS: A. Stiles
Date Created
04/02/2023
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