Stephinalta
On The Way Up
Joined: 25 Sep 2008
Location: Altamonte Springs, Fla. (Map)
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: fruit bearing cactus? |
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on another forum I am on a young girl was talking about a fruit bearing cactus, she didnt know the name of it but she eats the fruit on a regular basis so I am guessing its not poisonous. She said the fruits look like small bright red strawberries
any idea's? I will try to get pictures from her later.
Edit: Ok I got the pictures!
She also said the fruits are sweet & tangy
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"Gardening, once it ends being an enjoyable act, will lose the simple wonder that comes with each new bloom" - M. Fitzgerald
Last edited by Stephinalta on Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:14 pm; edited 2 times in total
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
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Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Location: North Texas (Map)
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like she is describing Prickly Pear cactus. Altho the fruit, also called cactus 'figs' because of their shape, are not fully ripe until late summer/early fall when they are larger than a fig and dark maroon in color. They do start out as small bright red round fruit in late summer.
They are very sweet and make great jelly.
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"Blossom by blossom the spring begins."
Algernon Swinburne (1837-1909)
"A little Madness in the spring, is wholesome even for the King."
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
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Stephinalta
On The Way Up
Joined: 25 Sep 2008
Location: Altamonte Springs, Fla. (Map)
Posts: 107
PlantStew: 211 |
| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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I've never heard of prickly pear cactus before, but I am going to get one, they sound interesting & cati, & succulents do great on the east side of my house (nearly full sun, for 6-8 hrs a day)
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"Gardening, once it ends being an enjoyable act, will lose the simple wonder that comes with each new bloom" - M. Fitzgerald
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Droopy
Slug Slaughterer
Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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I believe that's a cactus of the mammillaria species. I had one in my window sill when I was a little girl of 10.  There was only a plastic marker with the word Mammillaria on it, but I remember the plant well.
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-Bertrand Russell
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flowerpower313
On The Way Up
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Location: Catskill Mtns NY Z5
Posts: 118
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: |
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The cactus in the pic is definitely not Prickly Pear (Opuntia). Check out some pics of Echinocereus. These cacti are known as Hedgehog Cactus or Strawberry Cactus. Here is a link to some pics
http://cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus=Echinocereus
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
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Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Location: North Texas (Map)
Posts: 5556
PlantStew: 521 |
| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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Okay, now that you have a picture posted of it that is definitely not a Prickly Pear.
I don't know if you could sucessfully grow a Prickly Pear, but they require truly full sun at least 6 hours a day. They are all over the place in west Texas and places further west and like it extremely hot.
_________________
"Blossom by blossom the spring begins."
Algernon Swinburne (1837-1909)
"A little Madness in the spring, is wholesome even for the King."
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
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