Prickly Pear Cactus; The Ultimate Drought Survivor

Severe droughts are nothing new to South Texas. As a matter of fact the weather in this part of the country has aptly been characterized as perpetual drought periodically broken by torrential rain. It may seem like an eternity, but eventually we will be inundated with a deluge thoroughly saturating the soil, flooding low water crossings and refilling reservoirs.

The prickly pear cactus is perhaps the ultimate symbol of drought survival. Its thick skin retains the water within its pads and its daunting thorns protect it from being eaten by the thirsty creatures that share its ecosystem. In times past (and perhaps even today, I'm not sure), ranchers would take torches into large patches of prickly pear during times of drought to burn off the thorns and give their cattle a food source filled with water.

With our modern technology insulating us from the natural environment, most people living here have long forgotten just how rugged and unforgiving the South Texas environment really is. The prickly pear is a prolific native to South Texas. It is perfectly suited to these rugged conditions: