#Cactus fruit skin

Green fruits develop on cactus after flower wilts photo by Doug Martin Its texture is similar, but I think the sweetness is a little more subtle.

If I had to compare this cactus fruit to another one I’ve eaten in the past, I would say it closely resembles the kiwi fruit.

#Cactus fruit skin

The skin is something I do not want to waste, especially since I love the flavor. While I am not certain, my theory is that the skin, or fruit peel, contains many vital nutrients. Many people, however, find the skin a little too chewy for their tastes. I also eat the skin, which is sweet and juicy. While they create their access point to the pulp in the fruit, they will eat the skin and create a hole. If I do not beat the birds, they will poke a hole into the fruit, and start pecking away at the delicious pulp inside the tough outer skin. They will leave me with the empty shell of skin, which by this time is filthy from their bad table manners. Usually, if I let the fruit ripen that much, the birds will have eaten the pulp. Typically, when completely ripe, this fruit will turn a deep red and the juicy pulp will split the skin open. As a former Pennsylvania farm boy who has tasted lots of fruits and vegetables, this fruit has a uniquely subtle, sweet flavor. Birds absolutely go just as crazy for this fruit as I do. Whenever my Peruvian Apple Cactus fruits get close to ripening, I have to compete with the birds to get my fair share. The rising sun means this flower will soon wilt photo by Doug Martin They seem almost desperate to collect pollen as the flower slowly wilts throughout the day. As the sun rises, bees take over the pollinating duties. During the nighttime, specialized pollinators like bats and moths silently swoop in. The most spectacular blooming period is after the sun goes down. The attractive flowers grow large, but they only last for 24 hours. The Peruvian Apple Cactus, its flowers and the busy bees all work together to create an outstandingly delicious fruit! My Peruvian Apple Cactus could get up to 30 ft tallĪs it reaches for the sky photo by Doug Martinįlower buds that will turn into large cactus flowers photo by Doug Martin It has not flowered or borne fruit yet, but I hope it will in 2018. Now, only 2 years later, that cutting is 6 feet high. I did not use any root growth hormone – it just rooted in its new home spurred on by its genetic will to survive. Then, I immediately planted it in the soil in the back of my house. In 2015, I cut off a new arm of the cactus, which was a one-foot-long segment. In South America and the ABC Islands, where this cactus grows naturally, it can reach a height of over 30 feet. Maybe even a little faster than that! This cactus grows much, much faster than my spectacular, but smaller saguaro cactus. While the growth has slowed in the last year, it had been growing at least 2 to 3 feet per year. My Peruvian Apple Cactus is at least 15 feet tall. Although I have never read nutritional studies for this fruit, I am sure the nuts contain protein, and the rest of the fruit has many essential vitamins and minerals. They add just the right amount of soft crunch and provide a nice visual contrast with the pure white pulp.

Tiny black seeds are dispersed throughout the white, creamy concoction. In fact, I think this fruit would taste outstanding mixed in with sherbet ice cream. The flavor and texture reminds me of the sherbet ice cream I used to eat as a child. This fruit has a subtle tanginess and exotic texture.

However, the taste of the Peruvian Apple Cactus and its tempting fruit is nothing like a traditional apple. When ripe, they turn a bright red and have a roundish shape. The fruit from the Peruvian Apple Cactus ( Cereus repandus, or its previous scientific name, Cereus Peruvianus ) resembles a traditional apple.