Tag: Opuntia ficus-indica

california native plantsedible foodsethnobotany

Prickly Pear Tunas

These tunas are the domesticated variety, Opuntia ficus_indica, that grow wild all over the San Diego County back country roads. The really red ones are […]

/ October 17, 2011
california native plantsedible foodsethnobotany

Gathering Prickly Pear Tunas / Fruits

Adam and Reid helping to gather the prolific prickly pear tunas from my neighbor’s road. A group of us are gathering tunas and juicing […]

/ October 25, 2010
california native plantsethnobotanyprickly pear cactus

prickly pear / tuna juice processing

I love this painting, El Tunero, or Prickly Pear Gatherer, by Fernando Castillo, 1937. Only a few of Castillo’s paintings survive in private collections. […]

/ October 14, 2009
california native plantsethnobotanyprickly pear cactus

Opuntia robusta / dinner plate prickly pear

Opuntia robusta. What a beautiful plant. These pads are monsters, thick and heavy, and the fruits really round and large. Luther Burbank, who cultivated […]

/ September 22, 2009
california native plants

prickly pear tunas

It’s going to be another great year for prickly pear tunas in the North County San Diego back country. We’ll start harvesting them in […]

/ August 9, 2008