Common Name:

General Information

Opuntia huajuapensis is a spiny, evergreen, succulent shrubby to tree-like cactus with prostrate to ascending branches that are generally produced from near the base of the plant; it can grow around 40 - 200cm tall. The stems are segmented, individual segments are obovate to round, 17 - 36cm long and 17 - 28cm wide.[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental[].
Opuntia huajuapensis is relatively abundant, there are no threats affecting its subpopulation, and it also occurs in protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].
Opuntia species can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, especially in older parts of the plant. Perfectly alright in small quantities, foods containing oxalic acid should not be eaten in large amounts since it can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[, ].

Botanical References

Range

Southern N. America - southern Mexico (Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca).

Habitat

Xerophyllous scrub and Quercus forest ; at elevations from 2,000 - 2,700 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. The globose, green to yellow fruit is 20 - 43mm long and 20 - 41mm in diameter[].
An alcoholic beverage is made from the fruit]1990].

Stem segments[]. The obovate to round, green stem segments are 17 - 36cm long and 17 - 28cm wide[].
The tender young stem segments of various species are often cooked as a vegetable[]. Known as ‘nopals’ in Mexico, where they are a common ingredient in numerous dishes, they can be eaten raw or cooked, used in marmalades, soups, stews and salads. The most commonly used species are Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia matudae, although the stems of almost all Opuntia species are edible[, ].

Medicinal

The plant is used medicinally[].

We have no further specific information on medicinal uses for this species, but the following notes are likely to apply universally to Opuntia species and other related genera[].

The flesh of tender young stem segments can be applied as a poultice to reduce inflammation[].
The mucilage and soluble fibre found in the flowers and stem segments have been shown to help control blood-sugar levels associated with adult-onset diabetes[].
There is clinical evidence that the soluble fibre in the stem segments helps reduce blood cholesterol levels[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is grown as a soil binder to prevent erosion[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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