Cactus Flowers & Fruits

Cactus Flowers & Fruits 

My aunt and uncle started growing cactus 🌵 in Kandy last month. From them I learned a lot about cactus. Especially about flowers 🌸and fruits🍑. So I would like to share with you what I learned , Because most people don't know about this cactus flowers and fruits.  

The cactus is a Flowering🌻 Plant. However , some  aspects surrounding our environment and care practices could determine whether  our plant blooming or not. Some cactus will produce  gorgeous flowers.  Others will not bloom until there are over 30  years. There is that cactus that will never bloom at all.  Lightning , Fertilization , Watering , Planting method ,  Temperature can affect our cactus blooming behavior.  Cactus flowers can be Yellow💛 , Red💓, Pink💗 , White, Orange🧡, or Blue. Many of these flowers are nocturnal, meaning they bloom only at night. 

Cactus fruit 🍑may looking intimidating . But once you get past it spiny outsides , It yields a mild and nutrient- rich flesh. This fruit is delicious eaten raw, added to recipes, or turned into a refreshing beverage. This cactus fruits comes from the Opuntia cactus species that's native to central America and the drier , desert parts of North America. There are about 90 species of Opuntia in the United Status alone , and all produce cactus fruits.  

The fruit , both the flesh and the skin , ranges in color according to the variety. Even within the most common species -  Opuntia - Ficus - India - we might see fruits that's White, Green💚 , Purple 💜, Yellow💛, Red❤ or Even Orange🧡. The fruit of the cactus is also known as Prickly pear , Cactus pear, Prickly pear fruit, Nopal fruit , Tuna , Sabra, Barbary pear, and Indian fig. This Prickly pear is a type of flowering cactus that blooms bright flowers during the Spring season. Apart from it's fruits ,the pads from prickly pear are also edible and can be harvested at any time of the year. Both the pads and fruits can be eaten raw or cooked. 

The fruit of the Opuntia cactus contains health - boosting nutrients like amino acids fatty acid and antioxidant like betalains, polyphenols and flavonoids. It helps to Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health. Cactus  fruit nutrients are variable, but all cactus fruits contain a variety  of antioxidant known to protect the cells .These antioxidant helps to reduce triglycerides and bad cholesterol  levels in our body. They are also able to reduce body fats percentages and help lower our risk for metabolic syndrome. So I hope you all are interested about this cactus flowers and fruits..