Yesterday I finally found a source for Prickly Pear Cactus for my garden so I bought three plants for $10.00. The Prickly Pear will winter over in the south and make an interesting addition to the garden. Oh did I mention they are prickly!!!
Prickly pear cactus are found in all of the deserts of the American Southwest, with different species having adapted to different locale and elevation ranges. Most require course, well-drained soil in dry, rocky flats or slopes. But some prefer mountain pinyon/juniper forests, while others require steep, rocky slopes in mountain foothills.
There has been medical interest in the Prickly Pear plant. Some studies have shown that the pectin contained in the Prickly Pear pulp lowers levels of "bad" cholesterol while leaving "good" cholesterol levels unchanged. Another study found that the fibrous pectin in the fruit may lowers diabetics' need for insulin. Both fruits and pads of the prickly pear cactus are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fibers that help keep blood sugar stable.
1 comment:
We have prickly pears here in Southeastern Alberta as well - they grown wild all over the prairie ... don't think these particular ones would transplant to Georgia so well though...
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