Strawberry hedgehog cactus

Echinocereus engelmannii, E. stramineus

fruit

Small red fruits tasting of strawberry, brushed free of their spines then opened, raw or as jam.

Origin

Deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico

Where to find it

On rocky slopes in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts and in Texas.

Season (United States)

June to August · grows in your region

Preparation

The flesh is eaten with a spoon, with its tiny seeds; the skin is thrown away.

Molecules

BetalainsIn small amounts, not counted Pectins · Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

The spines come off by themselves when the fruit is fully ripe.