Acanthocereus occidentalis

Britton & Rose

Bajinco

CactaceaeLeavesShootsPotential hazards — see below
Caution — Parts of this plant may be toxic or require specific preparation. Verify with multiple sources before consuming.
Acanthocereus occidentalis
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc-sa
(c) María Eugenia Mendiola González, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Acanthocereus occidentalis
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc-sa
(c) María Eugenia Mendiola González, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Acanthocereus occidentalis
iNaturalist · cc-by
(c) Jonathan Layman, some rights reserved (CC BY)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Stems, Vegetable

Young stems are eaten as a vegetable.

Known Hazards

Toxicodendron radicans: vine – yedra Toxicodendron radicans var. divaricatum: vine – yedra

Where to Find It

It is a subtropical plant.

Mexico,

Countries: Mexico

How to Identify

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

Names & Synonyms

Tasajillo

References (1)
  • Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 10

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