Texas State Plant – Prickly Pear Cactus

Prickly Pear Cactus was adopted as the state plant on May 25, 1995. The cactus has branches and stems in the form of large, flat pads with deep red fruits known as tuna. The pads and the fruit are edible. The plant helped sustain the earliest inhabitants of the region as well as recently become a very popular Texas cuisine ingredient. The legislature referred to the cactus as, “Rugged, versatile, and beautiful, the prickly pear cactus has made numerous contributions to the landscape, cuisine, and character of the Lone Star State, and its unusual status as both a vegetable and a fruit make it singularly qualified to represent the indomitable and unique Texas spirit as an official state symbol.”