![]() ![]() It can be eaten raw or made into jam, wine and syrup. The fruit is full of pulp and seeds and tastes faintly like strawberry. Once a year, these tall cacti produce ruby-colored fruit which usually ripens by late June. There is no mistaking the look of the Sonoran Desert’s signature saguaro cactus. The joints of the jumping cholla can be eaten raw in small quantities (less likely to cause GI upset when cooked) and taste a little like kiwi. The fruit is sweet and mildly reminiscent of strawberries. Both the fruit and joints are covered in thorns that need to be removed prior to eating (extreme care must be used when harvesting). The parts most commonly used for food are the immature flower buds, ripened fruit and young, non-woody joints. Most varieties of cholla have edible parts. Syrup made from prickly pear fruit is often used as a flavoring in candy, lemonade and margaritas. The red flesh of the prickly pear fruit is very sweet and can be eaten raw or cooked (do not eat the skin as it is filled with tiny thorns). The plant’s pads, also known as nopales, can be boiled and served in a salad or eaten as a vegetable side dish. The prickly pear cactus has many edible parts. Here is a quick look at some of the most recognizable edible desert plants. Most professional Jeep and Hummer tour guides are well-versed in desert botany and can show you exactly which plants are safe to eat. The best way to identify and experience edible desert plants is with a well-trained guide showing you the way (do not attempt to eat any desert plants unless you are 100 percent certain the plant is edible and that you are preparing it correctly). In fact, cactus fruits, in general, are known for being high in vitamins A and C, while other parts of desert plants provide good sources of protein. There are hundreds of edible plants in the Sonoran Desert and Native cultures have been harvesting them for food and medicinal purposes for centuries. ![]()
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