The prickly pear cactus has been used for centuries both as a food source and a natural fence that keeps in livestock and marks the boundaries of family lands. They are incredibly resilient and often grow back.

Prickly pears of the yellow and orange varieties are grown by the side of farms, beside railway tracks and another otherwise non-cultivable land.


It is sold in summer by street vendors and is considered a refreshing fruit for that season. The Sicilian prickly pear contains betalain, betanin, and indicaxanthin, with the highest levels in their fruits.

Close to 9,000 people felt the earthquake according to GeoNet, with many feeling weak to moderate shaking. The quake comes just days after another earthquake was felt off the Bay of Plenty about 5.30 am on Tuesday.