In the harsh desert, where few men can survive, the barrel cactus has meant life to the Native Americans. The Mojave, Chihuahua and Sonoran desert, where the cactus thrives, has made the this cactus a vital source of food and water. It is amongst one of the most valued of desert plants.
The cactus is one of the desert plants that have been put under protected status in various areas. Uncountable cacti have been cut down to make the highly popular barrel cactus candy. If this destruction of this natural resource will be allowed to continue, it will make theses species of cactus extinct.
Historical Usage The cactus can be prepared as a stew. The flowers are harvested when they have just bloomed and boiled like cabbage. The more mature blooms are mashed and added to water to make a tasty drink.
The water that is used to make the exotic beverage is extracted for the pulp of the barrel cactus. The water that is squeezed out from the pulp can be consumed as it is. In case of dire need, the pulp is chewed to bring nourishment to the body and quench parching thirst.
The most famous food item that the cactus is known for is candy. The pulp of this desert cactus is used to process this sweet candy. It is reported the candy was outlawed in the U.S. in 1952 to protect the species.
The top of the cactus when cut, may be used as a cooking container. The cooking is done by the addition of hot stones into the provisional pot. The sharp spines are not edible. They were made into needles, fishhooks and other similar tools.
Description
The cactus is of the genus Ferocatus, which means fierce cactus. Desert cacti of this genus are cylindrical in shape. It grows near the desert slopes and canyon walls.
They are one of the largest desert plants that can grow up to a height of 11 feet tall. These desert plants are ribbed and covered with spines. The Fishhook species has curved spines, hence the name fishhook.
During the months of April until June the blooms appear. They are beautiful and edible yellow-green to red flowers located at the crown of these desert cacti.
This usually grow along desert washes, gravely slopes and beneath desert canyon walls in all of the hot desert of North America from the Mojave, Chihuahua and Sonoran desert of southern California, southern Arizona west to Texas and south into Baja, California and central Mexico.
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