Branched Pencil Cholla (Opuntia ramosissima)

Family: Cactaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Opuntia ramosissima Engelm. is now classified as a synonym of Cylindropuntia ramosissima (Engelm.) F.M.Knuth.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Berries, Nuts/Seeds, Shoots

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Sweet and gelatinous. — Fruit - raw, cooked or dried for later use.; Sweet and gelatinous.; Lean and insipid.; The unripe fruits can be added to soups etc, imparting an okra-like mucilaginous quality.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry situations in creosote bush scrub and joshua tree woodland. (Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10)