Ferocactus macrodiscus
(Mart.) Britton & Rose
(c) leonen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) jcgarcia, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jcgarcia
(c) Leticia Soriano Flores, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Leticia Soriano Flores
What to Eat
The pulp inside the stem is used for making candy. Fruit - raw or cooked.. The fresh fruits are edible, but very acidic or sour. The irregularly globose, magenta coloured fruit is up to 4cm long. The liquid obtained by crushing the pulp inside the stem can be used as an emergency source of fluid. It is said to be at least refreshing, though unpleasant and slimy to the taste. We have no more specific information for this species, but members of this genus are a valuable resource in the dry regions where they are native, and they are generally much utilised for food by native peoples. These uses are likely to include:- The cooked buds and flowers have a flavour somewhat like that of Brussels sprouts. Sometimes the buds were eaten fresh, although they are bitter unless cooked. The seeds are rich in oil and protein, and can be ground into an oily paste. The stems of barrel cacti are traditionally baked in a pit, and the cooked pulp sliced and eaten. The candied pulp of the stem of various barrel cacti makes an excellent sweetmeat, which is much used in Mexico and the southwestern United States, and is sold in the eastern United States as ‘cactus candy’
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Dry grasslands and oak (Quercus) forest; at elevations from 2,300 - 2,600 metres.
How to Identify
A cactus.
Other Uses
We have no specific information for this species, but members of this genus are a valuable resource in the dry regions where they are native, and they are often utilised by native peoples. These uses are likely to include:- The plants have been used as cooking vessels. The interior is scooped out and mashed, and the liquid thus obtained replaced in the cavity and heated with hot stones, after which food is placed in the liquid and cooked. Several species develop tough spines and, after straightening out the tips and reducing the thicker part, these can be used as toothpicks and needles for knitting stockings etc.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Ferocactus macrodiscus is a species of cactus (family Cactaceae) in the genus Ferocactus from Guanahuato and Oaxaca States, Mexico.
Names & Synonyms
Bizniaga
References (2)
- Rangel-Landa, S., et al, 2017, Sociocultural and ecological factors influencing management of edible and non-edible plants: the case of Ixcatlan, Mexico. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 13:59
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
