Wolfgang Borgmann (unless otherwise stated) - Hylocereus undatus (Photo Andreas Hofacker)
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©
Wolfgang Borgmann
(unless otherwise
stated)
Hylocereus undatus (Photo © Andreas Hofacker)
The Cactus of the Year
2021 is Hylocereus
undatus.
It is cultivated as a
crop for its fruits,
among other things.
Hylocereus undatus (Photo © Andreas Hofacker)
The so-called ‘dragon
fruits’ or pitayas are
refreshing and very
decorative.
However, there are
many other species of
cacti whose fruits are
eaten. In most cases,
however, this only
happens locally, i.e.
they are not cultivated
on a larger scale
(certainly not
worldwide) like
Hylocereus undatus.
Hylocereus undatus (Photo © CVUAS Stuttgart)
Here is an array of
Eulychnia fruits - also
called Copao - at a
market in Chile's Elqui
Valley.
They are spooned out
with sugar or drunk as
Copao Sour (like Pisco
Sour).
Eulychnia spec. (Photo © Elisabeth Sarnes)
Some cacti even have
local names referring
to their edible fruits,
e.g. the Texas
Strawberry Cactus
Echinocereus
enneacanthus.
Other examples are
the blueberry cactus
Myrtillocactus
geometrizans and
various species of
Mammillaria
(including Mam.
dioica, which is also
locally called
Strawberry Cactus).
Echinocereus enneacanthus (Photos © Henk Ruinaard)
The genus Opuntia, in
turn, is collectively
called prickly pears
after their edible
fruits. Here, several
species are used and
also cultivated
accordingly.
The best known is
certainly O. ficus-
indica.
Opuntia ficus-indica
Actually, the fruits of
O. dillenii, which is
also widespread
worldwide or has
frequently gone wild,
are more aromatic.
Opuntia dillenii
This is especially true
in Australia, where this
species became a
major plague at the
end of the 19th
century. However, it is
also regularly found in
the Mediterranean
area and on the
Canary Islands.
Opuntia dillenii
The shape of its fruits
actually resembles figs
much more than that
of the appropriately
named O. ficus-indica.
Contrary to what the
heavily spined shoots
might lead one to
expect, the fruits bear
hardly any spines and
only a few areoles -
but these are, of
course, peppered with
glochids, as is the case
with all Opuntias.
Opuntia dillenii
WARNING!
The following pictures
might offend
the feelings of
sensitive cactus collectors!Another way to - well -
enjoy cacti is to peel
the plants, cut them
up and then candy
them.
“Pruned Echinocactus
grandis ROSE, younger
specimens to be
candied. They are then
peeled (see Volume IV:
Fig. Plate 175), cut up
and boiled in cane
From C.Backeberg: Cactaceae IV (1960) sugar juice.”This is mainly done
with some larger
Echinocactus and
Ferocactus species,
which are accordingly
sometimes called
'Candy Barrel Cactus’.
“Myrtillocactus
geometrizans trees in
the background. In
front: Echinocactus
ingens, prepared for
From C.Backeberg: Cactaceae V (1961) candying.”Neowerdermannia -
species are also on
traditional menus.
They are dug up and
prepared by
indigenous people like
potatoes.
Neowerdermannia chilensis (Photo © Manfred Figge)Opuntia ficus-indica is
again suitable as a
vegetable garnish. It
was already cultivated
in pre-Columbian
times not only for its
fruits but also for its
edible shoots. As so-
called nopales, they
are roasted or boiled.
Similar to the fruits,
the glochids must of
course be carefully
removed before
eating.
Opuntia ficus-indicaThe American breeder
Luther Burbank
developed a
(supposedly?)
glochidless form to be
grown as cattle feed.
However, it did not
really catch on, as
described in this
contribution to the
arte series 'City
Country Art’
(California: In the
home of the plant
wizard)And Opuntia once
again:
Apart from the fact
that the fruits
obviously also taste
good to animals (in
this case it was a
lizard), with
O. dillenii the flesh is
very intensely
coloured.
The fruits are
therefore also used for
dyeing natural fibres.
Opuntia dillenii... or here in Gran
Canaria for affinating
goat cheese.
The somewhat garish
colour effect is
probably more
important than the
aroma …When it comes to
dyeing, cochineal must
of course not go
unmentioned:
The carmine dye of
these scale insects has
been extracted for
2,000 years by the
Zapotecs when the
Spanish conquered
Mexico. For them, this
water-insoluble dye
was almost as valuable
as gold, because all
red dyes known until
then were not
waterproof.
Opuntia field on LanzaroteThe Spaniards were
able to keep the secret
of this colour to
themselves for almost
300 years - although
they even exported
dried cochineal lice: In
other countries, the
material was mistaken
for seeds of an exotic
plant and they tried
again and again to sow
them in vain!
At the end of the 18th
century, however, the
secret of this special
lice breeding became
known and was even
described in an
From F.J. Bertuch: Bilderbuch für Kinder (1795) educational book ….
for children.With the invention of
synthetic colours, this
market collapsed. As a
niche product,
however, the dye
continues to be used
for various foodstuffs
and cosmetics, as it is
completely tasteless
and non-toxic.
Cochineal aphids on Opuntia ficus-indicaThere are countless
other purposes for
which cacti are used:
for example, as living
fences, ...
Fence made of Trichocereus, Chile (Photo © Manfred Figge)... for wooden
constructions, ...
Church gates made of cactus wood,
El Mojon, Argentina + Chiu Chiu, Chile (Photos © Elisabeth Sarnes)… or in cosmetics
(there's more than just
Aloe vera).After all, some cacti
are also used as drugs.
Perhaps that is also
the explanation for
such ideas ... ;-)
Does that still fall
under the definition of
'useful plants’?
But the list could be
extended even
further: bent cactus
spines as fishing
hooks, cephalic and
parietal wool for
padding pillows, use
for medicinal purposes
...
From LIFE Magazine (1941)And over and over again Opuntia: Here a children's entertainment at the market hall in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
For the most part,
however, these are
historical, locally
limited uses of natural
resources.
When cacti are grown
professionally, it is in
the vast majority of
cases for the
production of
ornamental plants.
And the Cactus of the
Year 2021 is very well
represented in both
applications!
Gymnocalycium stenopleurum f. grafted on Hylocereus undatusComments, questions and hints are welcome,
either under wolfgang. borgmann(at)gmx.net
or in the DKG forum (https://www.kuas-forum.de/index.php).
Hylocereus undulatus (Photo © Markus Peiter)You can also read
