Question: What is the official state plant of Texas?
Answer: The prickly pear cactus, which can be found throughout the Hill Country and West Texas. Its fruit (called “tuna”) and leaves (called “nopales”) were a source of food for native Americans and have been incorporated into Mexican cuisine. The hardy plant has also been cultivated as forage for the cattle industry.
In 1995, the Texas legislature designated the prickly pear cactus as the official state plant, recognizing its “numerous contributions to the landscape, cuisine, and character of the Lone Star State.”
