Opuntia tuna
(L.) Mill.
Cactaceae
Common Name: Tuna
General Information
Tuna is a spiny, succulent, evergreen, shrubby cactus with spreading branches growing about 1 metre tall[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible fruit and young stems, which are eaten locally. The plant is also sometimes cultivated[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Known Hazards
Species in this genus generally have numerous minutely barbed glochids (hairs) that are easily dislodged when the plant is touched and they then become stuck to the skin where they are difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable discomfort[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Botanical References
529- Title
- The Cactaceae
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton N.L. & Rose J.N.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- The Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An immense work in 4 volumes. Many of the botanical names are out of date, of course, but the book contains a wealth of information about the plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Caribbean - Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica.
Habitat
Rocky or sandy waste places, gullies and scrubby thickets at elevations from sea level to 120 metres in Jamaica[
426- Title
- Flowering Plants of Jamaica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Adams. C.D.
- Publisher
- University of the West Indies; Jamaica.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil.
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Sweet and juicy, it is delicious to eat out of hand and can also be used to make ices, jams, jellies, cakes, sauces etc[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The half-ripe fruit, when dried, has the flavour of green dried apples[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The red, obovoid fruit is about 3cm long[
529- Title
- The Cactaceae
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton N.L. & Rose J.N.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- The Carnegie Institution of Washington; Washington.
- Year
- 1920
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An immense work in 4 volumes. Many of the botanical names are out of date, of course, but the book contains a wealth of information about the plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tender young stems are boiled and then used as a substitute for string beans in soups, stews, casseroles etc[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
