O. ficus-indica

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fanaticactus
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O. ficus-indica

Post by fanaticactus »

Here is a link to the recent article on the Opuntia ficus-indica from Dave's Garden. It contains a bit of everything.


http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4238/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

*sigh* I will have to dig up the stuff that is known about O. ficus-indica, but it was made from 7 different Opuntias. One of them is O. tomentosa and there are a bunch more of Mexican Opuntia that it is linked with. Sailors carried the pads and planted them at ports, and used the fruits for vitamin C to prevent scurvy.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
fanaticactus
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by fanaticactus »

Peterthecactusguy wrote:*sigh* I will have to dig up the stuff that is known about O. ficus-indica, but it was made from 7 different Opuntias. One of them is O. tomentosa and there are a bunch more of Mexican Opuntia that it is linked with. Sailors carried the pads and planted them at ports, and used the fruits for vitamin C to prevent scurvy.
So it wasn't a unique original species itself but instead a "natural" hybrid? Interesting about the sailors. In school we always learned that they used limes for scurvy (one silly fact I remember from all my history courses!). So apparently it is fairly high in vitamin C ?
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

sorry I have been quite busy of late, but yes it's high in vitamin C, and it was not a naturally created plant, O. ficus-indica was a man-made hybrid.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
kam
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by kam »

Do not know much about vit C but it was brought by the British to British India and planted on both sides of the railway tracks to keep stray cattle from wandering on to the tracks. So far I know of five kinds of pad Opuntia's growing wild. Vit C might be correct also because the tender pads are used in salads in this part of the world. Quite possible they naturally cross bred to create ficus-indica. I have three kinds but not ficus-indica.
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

the vitamin C, comes from the fruits, not the pads, but both are edible (only the pads need to be young) And also yes, it could be used as a a fence. They can get quite large and I doubt if even determined cattle could get through them.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
kam
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by kam »

I can assure you that they cannot. Even humans keep away from it's barbed thorns. Normal thorns that we meet here can be taken out with a needle and a keen eye but Opuntia's thorns have to be cut out. They travel forwards and that is no fun.
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

once again, HUMANS and cattle both can eat O. ficus-indica and MANY other varieties, including their pads. The spines, and glochids of course are either burned off or manually pulled off. Mexicans eat O. ficus-indica and other varieties of cactus pads.. As for the fruits, I have made jam out of the ones from O.engelmannii and to do this we removed all the glochids by burning them off. We removed the hard seeds as well. Here is a thread by a different member that has eaten Opuntia pads before. I have a jar of them somewhere.. no one wants to eat them with me lol http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... =6&t=26103" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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BobbyZ
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by BobbyZ »

Even if my O. ficus indica is a heinz 57 variety it still grows so well in the Florida sunshine and is a nice complement to my Agave americana varigata. I can't wait until this years fruits mature. By the way, I take Opuntia Nopale daily to help manage my diabetes, the fruits and pads are rich in antioxidants. It is also supposed to assist those with arthritis and problems with their joints. Keep medicinal cacti alive even if Australia and USA want to interfere with Shaman seeking enlightmen via our spiney friends. Bobby Z
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

yeah, I have read about the health benefits of Opuntia pads/fruits. I know eating the pads can be beneficial for maintaining blood sugar levels
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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CactusBoss
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by CactusBoss »

I've always wondered if there's a way to remove the nasty jelly like texture on the inside of the pad and just leave the green part.
Daniel (age 25)

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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by Peterthecactusguy »

Maybe you could cut it with a filet knife in halves (sorta like a pork chop to be stuffed or something and scrape away the nasty stuff?
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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BobbyZ
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by BobbyZ »

Yes you can remove the jelly, howeer the polysaccharides that amke up the jelly area component of the healthy benefits of the cactus.
martenfisher
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by martenfisher »

Ficus indica is not a natural hybrid. It was bred by ancient people and varieties and purposes developed for each region.
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BobbyZ
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Re: O. ficus-indica

Post by BobbyZ »

Here is a great publication combining molecular biology and ethnobotany into a great story
http://www.amjbot.org/content/91/11/1915.full" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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