Plains Prickly Pear

General Information

• Plants: Succulent, leafless shrubs with smooth, flat, segmented stems about 5 inches long that have numerous weakly barbed spines.
• Flowers: Yellow, pink, or red; 6 1/2 inches wide; numerous petals, numerous stamens, and a single style.
• Fruits: Round to egg shaped, spiny, about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long, dry, tan in color.
• Flowering Season: May to July.
• Habitat/Range: Sandy plains, foothills, and lower mountains from British Columbia to Saskatchewan and south to Arizona, Mexico, and Oklahoma.¹

Blackfeet Ethnobotany^*

by Darnell and Smokey Rides At The Door

The Blackfeet name for prickly pear cactus is Otah Koot Tsis. It translates to 'yellow guts,' an ode to the inner flesh of the cactus. In order to reach the insides of the cactus, the Blackfeet burn the spikes off, which are carefully avoided as they easily could puncture the soles of moccasins. Though the plant was typically only eaten in times of scarcity, the inner part of the plant is nutritive and quenches thirst.

The most prevalent use for this plant is not food or medicinal, but cultural. The 'guts' of the plant can be spread over painted rawhide to protect the depiction, like a sealant. This process helps preserve designs for hundreds of years.²

From the Journals

by H. Wayne Phillips

Lewis and Clark mentioned plains prickly pear often in the journals. On September 19, 1804, near present-day Lower Brule, South Dakota, Clark wrote:³

a Creek of about 10 yards wide Coms in passing thro a plain in which great quantities of the Prickley Pear grows, I call this Creek Prickley Pear Creek . . . it is Situated at the Commencement of . . . Big Bend of the Missourie.

Over the course of the Expedition, the prickly pear cactus was documented several times in writing, often accompanied by words of disdain for these pesky yet beautiful plant of the plains.

Near present-day Great Falls, Montana, on June 14, 1805, Lewis spent the day alone exploring the various falls, and was threatened by a grizzly bear, a catlike creature, and charging bull buffalo. Lewis wrote:

did not think it prudent to remain all night at this place which really from the succession of curious adventures wore the impression on my mind of inchantment; at sometimes for a moment I thought it might be a dream, but the prickley pears which pierced my feet very severely once in a while, particularly after it grew dark, convinced me that I was really awake.

The expedition passed the Smith River above Great Falls on July 15, 1805 and Lewis wrote:

the prickly pear is now in full blume and forms one of the beauties as well as the greatest pests of the plains.⁴

Additional Information: The prickly pear cactus is a vital source of food for mammals on the prairies, especially prairie dogs, pronghorn, white-tail deer, northern bobwhites, rabbits, and other small mammals. Though the spikes deter animals from eating the plant, when fires singe them without destroying the plant, it becomes a desirable food source. Small mammals use the prickly pear cactus as a shelter to protect it from predators prevented by the spikes.⁵ The flesh of the plant is edible when ripe. The spikes, called glochids, cause skin irritation upon touching.⁶

^*While traditional medicine is still practiced in many cultures including the Blackfeet culture and has many uses, please do not consume any plant material without consultation of a health professional.