15K views · 5.2K reactions | A blooming Opuntia basilaris, the...

The prickly pear is the edible fruit of several species of the Opuntia cactus, which is native to the Americas but now grows in warm, dry climates around the world. The cactus itself has flat, paddle-shaped pads covered in spines, and from its flowers come oval fruits known as prickly pears or “tunas.” These fruits range in color from green to yellow, orange, red, or deep purple depending on the species and ripeness. They have a sweet, melon-like flavor with small, hard seeds inside. To eat them