|
|
October 15, 2005¡¡Yuza-Machi, Yamagata Prefecture
Orchid cactus
|
|
|
|
Have you ever eaten fruits of orchid cactus? My father grows them in Yuza-Machi, Yamagata Prefecture. He doesn't do it for sale, seems to enjoy giving away them saying, " One fruit of orchid cactus makes you live 10 years longer, it has a power to confer immortality."
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
A half-withered orchid cactus flower, one of some kinds of orchid cactus. White part of the flower is 10 cm. These flowers are edible. |
|
It bore seeds that are inside the warty part. If the pollination was failed, seeds are said to fall off with the outer skin. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
They produced fruits. When the color turns dark and the fruits get soft, it is the sign that the harvest season has come. The peak is September through October. Cacti grow as tall as 1 m. |
|
Average size of the fruits are 2~7 cm, the ones in the picture are about 5 cm. Inside the fruit is half transparent, you see small black seeds inside. They taste lightly sweet and sour, seeds are nicely crunchy. Their color, shape and size are diverse depending on the variety. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
