Tonight I was out walking Doozey, with my Mom walking my brothers dog...and we discovered a neighbor who had a 15 ft. high spineless Prickly Pear...thick and lush mind you...and...
We discovered they had cut it down and just threw everything on the side of the road for the trash pickup. They must have done it in time for the Thursday refuse pick up, because sadly, all that was left were a few dried up scattered pads in the swale. My Mom took 3 to get rooted, and I took one.
OMG...If only I had known...I would have BOUGHT THE WHOLE DAMN TREE from them!!!
God only knows how many years it took it to get that big. I never took one pad off of it, since I was respectful (the owners did not live there, and the house was for sale), and then they go and do this! I wanted to cry.
Am I over-reacting? I don't think they knew what they had.
I just ordered a Prickly Pear Cookbook, on Amazon tonight. I am seriously going to start eating it for the health benefits...high Vitamin C, high antioxidant, and a rich source of flavanoids, including kaempferol, quercetin, kaempferol 3-methyl ether, quercetin 3-methyl ether, narcissin, dihydrokaempferol (aromadendrin, 6), dihydroquercetin, and eriodictyol. These flavanoids are responsible for its health-enhancing benefits. It is good for diabetes, weight loss, and boosting immune system.
I think I like Cactus on so many levels. It is just a true love affair for me! Good to have so many blogger pals who understand my passion!
NOW...I am off to draw the coolest prickly pear tree you ever saw with my sparkle gel pens, in tribute to the loss of a beautiful old tree.
Goodnight! xoxo-Julie
This is truely sad!
ReplyDeleteI can understand you were upset, I would have been too.......
Take care!
Love to see your sketch later
Having been confronted with beheaded cemetary cactus, I can definitely relate... If the house is for sale, they were probably advised to cut the tree down. Prickly pears are considered "dangerous" and "Non-child friendly" by the real estate people, at least in your area they would be, not so much in the Southwest... and if they left the root in the ground, keep your eyes open. There's a very good chance it will resprout from the roots. You may get a frest pad yet! Of course, the dried up pads have a good chance of sprouting too...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wasteful tragedy, I know how you feel when I see so many houseplants thrown out at Supermarkets for lack of a little care and watering.
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't wait to see your finished prickly pear tree.
ReplyDeleteHappy Cactus Monday in advance Julie:)
I really like cactus, not only it can be eaten and it's a decorative plant, healthy plant.......
Cactus rocks:):):)
How sad that people can't offer the plant to someone instead of cutting it and throwing it away like trash.
ReplyDeleteWell at least maybe you'll be able to root it.
I hate to see things like that happen. If I was lucky enough to have a large tree...I would love it and feed and cherish it. Some people have no sense...
ReplyDeleteI hope your pads root for you!
I have the same feeling - I can't even thin out my sweetpeas!It gets getting worse as you get older! That pad will root and grow pretty fast!
ReplyDeletewhat?? omg i would also be devastated..don't people know we are trying to save our planet for god's sakes! so glad you and mom saved some of it, do show us it's progress.
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteAiyana