How to Grow Nopales

Scrape the nopales' spines off with a knife before cooking.

Nopales, also known as nopalitos, are the edible pads of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.). Nopales are treated as vegetables, and are peeled, sliced and cooked. They can be included in tacos, soups, omelets and other dishes or served on their own as a side dish. The prickly pear cactus is amazingly easy to grow and requires very little care.

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Plant the prickly pear cactus an area with sandy soil where it can get full sun.

2. Water the nopales only when the soil is very dry and during periods of extreme drought.

3. Fertilize the nopales only if you aren't growing the paddles for food. Fertilizer causes the paddles to grow larger, which is an undesirable trait for eating but may be desirable for ornamental purposes. Apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer, at the rate suggested on the fertilizer label, in the spring.

Tips & Warnings

• Nopales can be propagated by seed or by the pads.

References

• Rain: Prickly Pear Cactus
• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Prickly Pear For Pain and Pleasure

Resources

• University of California Cooperative Extension: Prickly Pear Cactus Production