| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Cooking Agent Pulp dried and used to thicken soups and stews. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Dried Food Fruits dried and used as a winter food. Hart, Jeffrey A., 1981, The Ethnobotany of the Northern Cheyenne Indians of Montana, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 4:1-55, page 16 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Fruit Fruit eaten raw or dried for winter use. Grinnell, George Bird, 1972, The Cheyenne Indians - Their History and Ways of Life Vol.2, Lincoln. University of Nebraska Press, page 180 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Fruit Fruits eaten raw. Hart, Jeffrey A., 1981, The Ethnobotany of the Northern Cheyenne Indians of Montana, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 4:1-55, page 16 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Soup Fruit stewed with meat and game into a soup. Grinnell, George Bird, 1972, The Cheyenne Indians - Their History and Ways of Life Vol.2, Lincoln. University of Nebraska Press, page 180 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Cheyenne Food, Winter Use Food Fruit dried for winter use. Grinnell, George Bird, 1972, The Cheyenne Indians - Their History and Ways of Life Vol.2, Lincoln. University of Nebraska Press, page 180 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Crow Dye, Mordant Stems peeled and used to fix color on hides. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Flathead Drug, Analgesic Stems smashed and used for backache. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Flathead Drug, Antidiarrheal Infusion of stems taken for diarrhea. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Gosiute Food, Unspecified Joints roasted in hot coals and eaten. Chamberlin, Ralph V., 1911, The Ethno-Botany of the Gosiute Indians of Utah, Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association 2(5):331-405., page 375 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Hopi Food, Fruit Fruits cooked, freed from thorns and served with cornmeal boiled bread. Nequatewa, Edmund, 1943, Some Hopi Recipes for the Preparation of Wild Plant Foods, Plateau 18:18-20, page 18 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Hopi Food, Unspecified Joints boiled, dipped into syrup and eaten after thorn removal. Whiting, Alfred F., 1939, Ethnobotany of the Hopi, Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin #15, page 85 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Keres, Western Food, Winter Use Food Joints singed in hot coals, boiled with dried sweetcorn and used as a winter food. Swank, George R., 1932, The Ethnobotany of the Acoma and Laguna Indians, University of New Mexico, M.A. Thesis, page 57 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Dried Food Fruits dried and stored for winter use. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Fodder In times of scarcity, spines were singed off and fed to stock. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 17 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Fruit Fruits eaten raw. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Fruit Ripe fruit eaten raw. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 17 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Preserves Fruit made into preserves. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 17 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Unspecified Stems occasionally used for food. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Montana Indian Food, Unspecified Young joint pulp boiled and fried. Blankinship, J. W., 1905, Native Economic Plants of Montana, Bozeman. Montana Agricultural College Experimental Station, Bulletin 56, page 17 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Navajo Drug, Poison Plant used as a poison for hunting. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 65 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Navajo Dye, Red Dead, ripe fruits used to make a cardinal dye. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 65 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Navajo Dye, Red Fruit used to dye wool pink. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 65 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Navajo Other, Fasteners Juice used to adhere buckskin cuttings and trimmings to the buckskin war shirt. Elmore, Francis H., 1944, Ethnobotany of the Navajo, Sante Fe, NM. School of American Research, page 65 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Drug, Dermatological Aid Poultice of flesh applied to skin sores and infections. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Drug, Diuretic Flesh eaten to cause urination. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Food, Soup Flesh and fat boiled into a soup. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Food, Unspecified Flesh pit cooked or roasted and eaten. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Other, Hunting & Fishing Item Spines used to make fish hooks. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagan-Colville Other, Season Indicator Blooms indicated saskatoon berries ready to be picked. Turner, Nancy J., R. Bouchard and Dorothy I.D. Kennedy, 1980, Ethnobotany of the Okanagan-Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington, Victoria. British Columbia Provincial Museum, page 92 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Okanagon Food, Unspecified Insides of plants oven roasted and used for food. Perry, F., 1952, Ethno-Botany of the Indians in the Interior of British Columbia, Museum and Art Notes 2(2):36-43., page 36 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Paiute, Northern Food, Unspecified Flesh peeled and eaten roasted or uncooked and fresh. Fowler, Catherine S., 1989, Willards Z. Park's Ethnographic Notes on the Northern Paiute of Western Nevada 1933-1940, Salt Lake City. University of Utah Press, page 49 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
San Felipe Food, Unspecified Joints formerly roasted and eaten. Castetter, Edward F., 1935, Ethnobiological Studies in the American Southwest I. Uncultivated Native Plants Used as Sources of Food, University of New Mexico Bulletin 4(1):1-44, page 36 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
San Felipe Food, Winter Use Food Joints singed in hot coals, boiled and dried with sweet corn to make a winter use food. Castetter, Edward F., 1935, Ethnobiological Studies in the American Southwest I. Uncultivated Native Plants Used as Sources of Food, University of New Mexico Bulletin 4(1):1-44, page 36 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Sanpoil and Nespelem Food, Dried Food Berry pits roasted, after spines burned off and removed, and used for food. Ray, Verne F., 1932, The Sanpoil and Nespelem: Salishan Peoples of Northeastern Washington, University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, Vol. 5, page 103 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Sioux Drug, Dermatological Aid Stems peeled and used for wounds. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Sioux Dye, Mordant Stems peeled and used to fix color on hides. Hart, Jeff, 1992, Montana Native Plants and Early Peoples, Helena. Montana Historical Society Press, page 39 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Dessert Stems roasted over a fire, peeled and eaten as dessert by children. Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 194 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Starvation Food Stems used for food during times of famine. The stems were used for food during times of famine because they could be harvested even during the winter and early spring when few other foods were available. Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 194 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Unspecified Insides of plants oven roasted and used for food. Perry, F., 1952, Ethno-Botany of the Indians in the Interior of British Columbia, Museum and Art Notes 2(2):36-43., page 36 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Unspecified Roots and little bulbs cooked, peeled and the inside eaten. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 480 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Unspecified Stalks cooked, peeled and the inside eaten. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 480 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Unspecified Stems steam cooked in pits, the outer, spiny skin peeled off and the insides used for food. The stems could also be baked in hot coals until the spines were singed off and then squeezed until the fleshy centers popped out. The inside part was eaten and considered quite tasty. In recent years, some people mixed cactus stems with fruit cakes, but traditionally, it was eaten with northern black currants or other types of berries. Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 194 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Food, Winter Use Food Stems mixed with berry juice and canned for future use. Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 194 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Other, Fasteners Mucilaginous material from cut stems used for glue by some people, but not considered very good. Turner, Nancy J., Laurence C. Thompson and M. Terry Thompson et al., 1990, Thompson Ethnobotany: Knowledge and Usage of Plants by the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, Victoria. Royal British Columbia Museum, page 194 |
| Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear USDA OPPOP |
Thompson Other, Jewelry Seeds strung and worn as necklaces. Steedman, E.V., 1928, The Ethnobotany of the Thompson Indians of British Columbia, SI-BAE Annual Report #45:441-522, page 498 |
| Opuntia polyacantha var. rufispina (Engelm. & Bigelow ex Engelm.) L. Benson Hairspine Pricklypear USDA OPPOR |
Gosiute Food, Unspecified Joints roasted in hot coals and eaten. Chamberlin, Ralph V., 1911, The Ethno-Botany of the Gosiute Indians of Utah, Memoirs of the American Anthropological Association 2(5):331-405., page 375 |