A Prickly Cactus Journey: From Hellish Plant to Farmers' Darling

Mounir Louhaichi, Kathryn Clifton, Muhammad Islam, Imtiaz Ahmed Qamar. (20/7/2015). A Prickly Cactus Journey: From Hellish Plant to Farmers' Darling. URL: http://drylandsystems.cgiar.org/news-opinions/prickly-cactus-journey-hellish-plant-farmer%E2%80%99s-darling

Abstract

The cactus pear (known by its scientific name as Opuntia ficus-indica) was not always accepted in Pakistan as a source of food for animals, much less as a fruit fit for human consumption. It was commonly believed to be the plant from hellfire; it suffered this unfortunate reputation by association with the upright prickly pear (known by the scientific name as Opuntia stricta), its close “cactus cousin.”