Shawn Jadrnicek had long loved prickly pear cactus for its tasty fruit, so when he heard the plant could also be used as animal fencing, he was curious. After first creating a pen for his own backyard ...

Edible cacti, particularly nopal and prickly pear fruit from Opuntia ficus-indica, have historically been consumed in dry and water-scarce regions. As an essential component in traditional diets, ...

With diabetes and heart disease rising worldwide, researchers are now closely examining whether this ancient food truly offers measurable metabolic benefits, or whether its reputation has outpaced the ...

Starting an indoor garden is an obvious option for gardeners, unwilling to stop growing because of colder weather. But while harvesting your own garlic and lettuce off your windowsill can still be ...

Called nopales in Spanish, edible cactus paddles come from varieties of prickly pear cacti — which also bear the orb-shaped, rose-colored fruit, famed chef Rick Bayless notes in "Rick Bayless's ...

While the cactus makes a beautiful natural ornament in the Phoenix area, the wild plant also provides nutritional benefits from its fruits and spiny pads. Some of the cactuses, including the prickly ...

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with food writer Maria Melendez Ayala about nopales, edible cactus plants that are a staple in Mexican cuisine. People across the country are out grilling this weekend. And ...

While the cactus makes a beautiful natural ornament in the Phoenix area, the wild plant also provides nutritional benefits from its fruits and spiny pads. Some of the cactuses, including the prickly ...

Climate change has made paramount the need to identify food crops that can grow in desert, with little water. Though some types of cactuses, like the prickly pear, have been consumed in Central ...