The barrel cactus won’t slake your thirst on a hot desert day. It’s named for its stout shape, not its contents. But this quintessential Arizona species offers something else: vibrant yellow fruit, clustered on top like miniature pineapples.
The long-time versatility of barrel cacti is well documented in A.F. Whiting’s book Havasupai Habitat, which explores Indigenous knowledge of the natural world.
It turns out that barrel cactus plants have multiple uses. Cactus bodies were often hollowed out as temporary pots for boiling. Some species produce long, red spines that were bent into decorative rings. The cacti were also uprooted and rolled down hills as a part of a popular children’s game.
Best of all, barrel cactus fruits are a readily accessible ingredient with a spineless, firm exterior and a center filled with tiny black seeds, both of which can be eaten raw or incorporated into a variety of recipes.
Alan Bergo, James Beard Award-winning chef and author of The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora, sought out the fruit on an annual trip to Arizona. He described the fruits as “very tart, sour and bright,” a versatile ingredient that complements sweet or savory dishes alike. Bergo was able to create a delicious stew, chutneys, and flatbreads using each part of the fruit differently.
For the Hualapai in Northern Arizona, harvesting and roasting barrel cacti remains an annual tradition.
So the next time you see barrel cactus fruit while out hiking, it may be worth your time to give it a try.
This Earth Note was written by Cory Tompkins and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
