This Video of Harvesting Melocactus Fruit Is Strangely Relaxing

Can you grow melocactus?

Photo: stockphoto mania/Shutterstock

Yes, like most cacti and succulents, melocactus can be grown in home gardens. Plant them in well-draining soil and try to keep them in an area with direct sunlight for the best results. Melocactus fruit grows best in a warm climate and must be protected from cold temperatures, especially during the winter. With regular watering and fertilizing, melocactus plants can yield fruits after two to three years of growth.

Melocactus fruit is pretty small, as you can see in the video above, so you’ll probably need to harvest it with tweezers. Online, you’ll find recipes for using it to make jellies or jams, or you can just leave them out for lizards and birds, as many species eat the fruit in the wild.

Melocactus fruit isn’t the only edible cactus

Photo: Dmytro Sheremeta/Shutterstock

You may not know about melocactus fruit, but how about dragonfruit or prickly pear? More fruits than you may think come from cacti, including:

• Prickly pear cactus: Prickly pear is native to the Americas and its fruit is also referred to as prickly pear. The fruit has a sweet, juicy flesh and is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Dragon fruit cactus: Dragonfruit is native to Central and South America and is grown for its tropical-tasting fruit. The fruit has a pink or red skin and white or pink flesh, and some people think it tastes similar watermelon. It’s one of the easiest to recognize.
• Barrel cactus: This cactus is native to the desert regions of North America and also produces sweet, juicy fruit. The fruit has a yellow or orange skin and a soft, edible pulp. It’s a little on the tart side.
• Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea): This cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and Mexico and is grown for its sweet, edible fruit. The fruit has a red skin and a white, juicy pulp. If you’re in the US Southwest, you may be able to find it in the form of jams or honey from farmers markets or produce stands.